The Flower and the Scorpion
by drcjsnider
Summary: Scorpius Malfoy is on a mission to bring Rose Weasley Home. Set 10 years after the epilogue in DH.
1. Chapter 1

Title: The Flower and the Scorpion (1/4)  
Author: **drcjsnider**  
Pairing: Rose/Scorpius  
Rating: PG-13  
Summary: Scorpius Malfoy is on a mission to bring Rose Weasley home.  
Word Count: 5,840  
Notes/Warning: Big thanks to **kazfeist** and Ellae for doing the beta work for this. They keep me from looking stupid.

Scorpius Malfoy was what his Mum referred to as a late bloomer. He had been the shortest boy in his year at Hogwarts until he had turned sixteen and he had never gone out on a date with a girl until after he had left school. Bookish and sickly growing up, he was too delicate to play Quidditch. Instead, he devoted his time to working as a research assistant to the Potions Professor and serving as the president and founding member of YEWTS - the Young English Wizard's Transfiguration Society. Although he had the grades to be Head Boy, he did not get the position because he did not have enough of an authoritarian personality to earn the respect of the younger students. His housemate and Head Girl, Rose Weasley, had clapped him on the back and told him it was "a damn shame" when he informed her of the news.

After graduation, his parents had sent him on a year-long world so that he could gain "an aura of sophistication." Scorpius, however, had returned to England after only five weeks, claiming to be lonely and more interested in starting his career, than in travelling. Deeply disappointed, his father had nevertheless arranged for him to get an internship in the Department of Mysteries and Scorpius quickly settled into a career in the Wizarding bureaucracy.

When he woke on the morning of his twenty-first birthday, Scorpius sat down at his desk to review his previous year's accomplishments and plot out his career and personal goals for the next twelve months. He was relatively satisfied with his work situation. He had gotten a permanent position in the Department of Mysteries, had the support of his superiors, and had recently received a promotion. His personal life was adequate. He was dating an amenable, if somewhat mousey, girl, who got along well with his Mum. Financially, he was stable. He was living comfortably off his Ministry salary and had recently purchased his own flat, just off of Diagon Alley, which his father claimed would be a great long-term investment. All in all, Scorpius was satisfied with his life. And if his life was a little less stimulating or exciting than he might have dreamed about as a boy, its very predictability was in many ways a comfort.

That comfort was irrevocably shattered later the same morning, when Ron Weasley grabbed Scorpius by the back of his robes and shoved him down a long dark corridor right outside the entrance to the Department of Mysteries. "Get her back here," the menacing red-head growled, right after he pushed the blond's back up against the cold, stone wall.

Scorpius, who had been pushed around a bit by bullies at Hogwarts, barely flinched before answering. "Get who back here, Sir?"

"My daughter," the hulking Auror hissed through clenched teeth.

"Rose?"

"Stop playing innocent, you fucking prick. Her mother and I have been going out of our minds with worry since she refused to come home from Germany after getting cut by the Harriers. None of it made sense, until we heard from her yesterday that she didn't want to return to England as long as she was still nursing a broken heart caused by you."

"Me?"

Suddenly he was nose to nose with the angry man. "Don't make me rip your lungs out through your nose, boy!"

Scorpius' mind was racing. He and Rose Weasley had NEVER had a romantic relationship. They had never even had a romantic moment. Sure, he had been a bit taken with her. But he had been even more intimidated by her. And Rose, for her part, had never given him a second glance, preferring to date popular, athletic, out-going boys. He had absolutely no clue what Mr. Weasley was talking about. Unfortunately, it did not appear that the Auror would accept Scorpius' genuine confusion as a response. "What would you like me to do, Sir?"

Ron poked him in the chest, hard. "You do whatever it takes to get her back here. You have 72 hours to fix this situation." He poked him in the chest again. "If Rose hasn't returned by Monday, I'm sending my wife down here to talk to you."

Scorpius shuddered. Hermione Weasley's wrath was legendary in the halls of the Ministry. "Yes, Sir. I'll do my best."

"I don't fucking care about your best, Malfoy. I care about results." Ron Weasley poked the blond in the chest one more time, before turning on his heel and stalking away.

Slowly sliding down the wall until he was sitting on the floor, Scorpius dropped his head into his hands. He had no clue how to deal with this situation.

**70 Hours and Counting**

Scorpius spent the first two of his seventy-two hours, speaking to every former Ravenclaw who had been at Hogwarts with Rose and himself. He started with Ministry employees, then Floo'ed the staff at St. Mungo's, and finally sent owls to all those who were working in Muggle London. While Scorpius hadn't been close to most of his former housemates, he knew that many had liked and respected Rose. He was therefore highly disappointed to discover that not one of them had heard directly from her since graduation. Several of them had only vague ideas about what she had been up to. 'I heard she was playing professional Quidditch.' 'I thought she became an Unspeakable for one of the Wizarding Ministries in Eastern Europe.' 'Didn't she get hired as a writer for some American Muggle television show?'

He contemplated contacting one of her cousins, but assumed that if any of them had a clue about what Rose was really doing, Ron Weasley wouldn't have cornered him this morning.

Releasing a deep sigh, he briefly considered contacting his father. He knew, however, that there was some kind of long standing grudge between his dad and Rose's parents. Scorpius had never looked too deeply into the feud, figuring that it probably didn't reflect well on his family. Given the poor relations between the Malfoys and the Weasleys, he expected that his father's advice would be to either go straight to the Minister or to hide in a dark corridor before hexing the red-headed Auror in the back. Neither of those options appealed to the young blond. It was cowardly to attack a man who was unprepared for it, and while Scorpius respected the Minister of Magic, if it was his word against Ron Weasley's, he had little doubt who the Minister would believe.

Eventually, he decided to send out three more owls. The first carried a letter to Rose. It inquired, as politely as possible given the situation, into exactly what she had told her father to bring his wrath down upon Scorpius. The second owl was sent to the manager of the Heidelberg Harriers requesting information about Rose Weasley's last known address. The final owl was sent to Hugo Weasley, Rose's younger brother. Unsure what Hugo knew about this situation, Scorpius had briefly laid out the encounter between himself and Ron Weasley, his astonishment at being accused of breaking Rose's heart, and a plea for any information about how to clear up this misunderstanding.

Recognizing that it might be hours before the owls returned with information, Scorpius hunkered down at his desk in the Ministry and tried to concentrate on work.

**67 Hours and Counting**

Hugo's owl returned first. His reply was brief.

_Scorpius,_

_I never believed a word of Rose's letter. We both know you are hardly her type – she likes her blokes big and dumb. I tried to tell my parents that everything she wrote was pure rubbish, but they think the sun rises and sets over her arse. Wish I could help you sort this mess out, but Rose hasn't talked to me for over a year. I think she is still in Germany, but I have no idea where her flat might be located._

_Hugo_

_P.S. If my mum comes after you, just tell her that you are a dues paying member of S.P.E.W._

Scorpius released a breath he did not realize he'd been holding and decided that as soon as work was over he would join S.P.E.W. so that he wouldn't have to lie to Rose's mother when she came to hex him back to the Stone Age.

**63 Hours and Counting**

Just as Scorpius was clearing off his desk for the weekend, his other two owls returned. The owl he sent to Rose came back with no reply attached to his leg. His left side, however, was covered with a dark, brown, stick substance that smelled faintly like Nutella. Luckily, the owl from the Harriers' manager brought more information.

_Dear Mr. Malfoy,_

_Our organization was deeply disappointed when Rose Weasley resigned her spot as reserve chaser. We had hoped to move her to a starting position next season, but she did not feel it was the best option for her future career. We have had no contact with Ms. Weasley since she left, but her last check was sent to the address listed below._

_Sincerely,_

_Zeisberger Anton_

_Rose Weasley_

_Obere Seegasse 13_

_69124 Heidelberg_

Sitting back in his chair, Scorpius was confused by the Harriers' letter. Rose resigned? Why had Ron Weasley insisted she had been cut? This news just added to all the other questions this entire situation had raised. Why hadn't she talked to her brother for over a year? Why had she not communicated with their housemates since Hogwarts? None of it made sense. Rose Weasley had been among the best and brightest in their year. Voted most likely to succeed, most likely to make the world a better place, and most like to marry well, no wonder her dad was on edge. What the hell had happened to Rose Weasley?

**49 Hours and Counting**

At precisely 8 a.m. Saturday morning Scorpius grabbed a hold of an international Portkey and was transported to the alley behind Rose's flat in Germany. He'd spent most of the prior evening in his father's library pursuing old copies of the _Daily Prophet_, searching for any mention of what the eldest Granger-Weasley offspring had been doing for the last three years. He had never confronted anyone before and was determined to be as prepared as possible.

He now knew with a reasonable degree of certainty that after graduation she had tried out for several professional Quidditch teams before being picked up by the Wingtown Wanderers. She sat the bench her entire first season and was traded at the end of the year to the Harriers. While in Germany, Rose had not only been a reserve chaser, but had also spent the off-season interning in that nation's International Department of Magical Cooperation. She'd dated several Quidditch players, a rising German politician, and at least two British expatriates. None of those relationships, however, had been serious. The last story had been about her leaving the Harriers, although no mention had been made about whether the move had been voluntary or not.

Scorpius found it strange that Rose's life had made the newspaper so often. He supposed that it was a consequence of being the child of two war heroes – war heroes who were still politically active and influential. While he reasoned that it must be quite annoying and perhaps explained why she was loath to return to England, it did not give her leeway to use innocent, unsuspecting blokes to stave off questions by her rather scary parents.

As he climbed the stairs to Rose's flat, Scorpius mentally practiced the speech he was going to give the girl. He would make it plain that she must immediately write her Mum and Dad to let them know that he had NO role in her decision not to return home. He would sit her down and have her read the list of reasons he had compiled, all ninety-seven of them, about why using him as a ploy to avoid communicating truthfully with her parents was a horrible idea. If that didn't work, he was determined to stage some kind of Muggle sit-in until she agreed with him. Scorpius might not be known for his forceful personality, but he could be quietly stubborn, and by Merlin, he would be, if Rose would not be sensible.

Straightening his shoulders and his robes, he knocked on the door of her flat. He heard movement inside, but could not keep the shock off his face when the red-headed girl opened the door. She was bare-foot, wore a tattered dressing gown, and looked as if she'd been dragged for miles behind the back of the Knight Bus. Scorpius had never seen her look so dishevelled. Rose stared in surprise back at him before muttering loud enough for him to hear, "Oh fuck."

**48 Hours and Counting**

All of Scorpius' carefully made plans came to naught once Rose regained her composure – it took her about 5.7 seconds. "Scorpius Malfoy, it's been ages!" she chirped, as if they had just met walking down Diagon Alley, as opposed to him travelling half way across Europe to see her. She gave him a friendly hug, which made him feel uncomfortable because he could 'feel' her nakedness underneath her robe. Rose grinned at his blush, before she led him into her flat and motioned him to take a seat at her kitchenette table.

"Let me put some tea on, then we'll have a nice catch-up chat," she said with a smile that didn't reach her eyes.

As Rose bustled around the stove, Scorpius scanned her living area. It was a sty. Dirty clothes, books, papers of all types littered every surface. The kitchen was filthy and it looked like there hadn't been a dish washed in weeks. To say he was stunned was an understatement. Although Scorpius had never been in Rose's living quarters at Hogwarts, he assumed that she kept it in the same meticulous condition as she did her school notes and her appearance. Of course her current disorderly condition blended right in with the less-than-sanitary surroundings.

Just as Rose brought a tea service to the table, a tall man wearing only a pair of boxers and an unbuttoned oxford strolled into the living room. "Rose, wo sind meine Hosen?"

"Bugger off you selfish wanker!" Rose yelled in response, before hurling an empty tea cup at his head.

To Scorpius' surprise, the man caught the cup with his bare and hand and shook a finger at Rose. "Dummes Mädchen. Ich muss erhalten zu üben. Ich werde Floo spater."

"Don't bother!" she replied angrily, right before he blew her a kiss and Apparated away.

Scorpius was very glad not to be standing in the empty spot that the red-headed girl was currently glaring at. Something told him that she was mentally cataloguing appropriate hexes should the 'wanker' return. He cleared his voice uncomfortably.

Rose glanced down as if she had forgotten he was there. With a slight shrug she sat down at the table.

"Ah… who was that?"

"Seeker from my old team. He came over last night to discuss an upcoming Quidditch match," she replied before giving him a lopsided grin.

Scorpius didn't know whether or not to be flattered that she hadn't bothered to come up with a convincing lie. "And you had a disagreement about proper strategy?"

She laughed. For the first time since he arrived, she looked like the girl he had known at Hogwarts. "Exactly. I wanted him to focus on ah… winning for the team. He, however, was more interested in going as fast as possible to reach the snitch, even if that meant leaving the ah… rest of the team frustrated."

Scorpius felt the heat rising in his cheeks in repose to Rose's sexual analogy. She giggled at him. "Enough of that. Tell me what you are up to," she inquired, looking genuinely curious.

"Um… didn't you get my owl?"

This time Rose blushed. "Probably," she admitted. "I haven't been reading my mail lately."

Looking around her flat slowly, Scorpius nodded. "It is usually easier to read your mail when you can locate it."

Rose laughed again. "Merlin, it's nice talking to someone from home. I just don't get German humour… it's so solemn. There is never a hint of sarcasm."

Scorpius smiled at her. It would be so easy to just sit here and let her charm him into forgetting about why he'd come to Heidelberg in the first place. She was good at it. Back at Hogwarts, Rose's well placed word, smile, or look was usually enough to sway people into wanting to agree with her. It surely was a gift as much as her intelligence or athletic ability. He, however, could not afford to be manipulated into leaving without dealing with the issue at hand. Taking a deep breath, he came right out and stated, "Your dad came to talk to me."

Standing up abruptly, Rose frowned at him. For a second, Scorpius flashed back to being corned by Ron Weasley in the Ministry's hallway. He almost reached for his wand.

"I need to take a shower," the girl growled, before stalking out of the room.

**47 Hours and Counting**

Scorpius sat in Rose's now clean kitchen and waited for her to return. He couldn't believe that she had just walked away from him earlier. He had been completely unprepared for her to react like that. How was he supposed to convince her to clear up things with her parents, if she wouldn't even listen to him? He had decided to tidy up the kitchen as he waited on her, hoping that she would be so appreciative of his efforts that she'd contact her Mum and Dad immediately and tell them that Scorpius had played no role in her decision not to return to England.

His hopes were dashed, however, when Rose returned to the kitchen freshly showered and fully dressed. She immediately rounded on him.

"You cleaned my kitchen?! What in Merlin's name gives you the right to tidy up my flat as if I'm some pathetic sap who doesn't have the sense to clean up their mess? If I wanted my fucking dishes washed, I would have washed them myself. Bloody hell, what even gives you the right to be HERE at all?"

Scorpius' eyes widened and his mouth dropped open. He knew Rose Weasley had a temper. Her wandless row during second year with her older cousin, James Potter, was legendary in Ravenclaw for having landed the Gryffindor in the hospital ward for two weeks. And obviously, this morning's teacup incident proved that she hadn't outgrown her violent tendencies. However, Scorpius had never been the subject of her anger before. Merlin, he could not even remember the last time ANYONE had been mad at him. It was much more likely that his Mum was frustrated with his resistance to dating the daughters of her girlfriends or his father was disappointed that he still worked for the Ministry instead of Malfoy Industries, but Rose's anger something brand new and it shocked him. Scorpius wasn't even sure how to respond properly to her anger.

He recalled that back at Hogwarts her cousins tended to cower when Rose got angry. But Scorpius had no intention of cowering. In fact, the blond was positive that he had done nothing wrong. He was the aggrieved party in this situation. He was the one who had been visited by her irate father, as well as the one who had travelled hundreds of miles because she couldn't be bothered to answer her mail. If anyone should be sporting an air of righteous indignation, it was Scorpius Malfoy. It seemed abundantly clear to him, that Rose Weasley needed to be turned over someone's knee and given a good spanking. Perhaps then she would stop behaving like a spoiled toddler!

Scorpius, however, was not a screamer or a criticizer or a spanker. Instead, he just raised both of his eyebrows and plastered the Malfoy family sneer across his lips. "You are not going to intimidate me, Rose. We both know that you are the one who has put me in an awkward position and you are going to have to be the one to fix it."

For a second, he thought that she was going to start yelling at him again. But when she eventually responded, it was by biting her lip, dropping into a chair at the kitchen table, and fixing her big, blue watery eyes on him. "I'm sorry, Scorpius," she sniffed.

The blond watched in growing horror as two fat tears slowly trailed down her cheeks. "Rose, what has happened to you?" he asked, sitting down across from her at the table.

"I just don't know who I am, anymore. I can't even remember a time when I _did_ know," she replied, as more tears slipped out of her eyes.

"What do you mean? You are Rose Weasley – the girl next door of the Wizarding world. You are living proof that the joining of Purebloods to Muggleborns can yield positive and extraordinary results. You are the most fêted graduate of Hogwarts since Albus Dumbledore."

Rose just shook her head. "None of that is me! It is just some image created by the media or my family or my friends. None of it is real, no matter how I've tried to live up to it or pretend that it is genuine. I have never been and will ever be the girl that everyone thinks I am."

Scorpius looked at her critically. He understood dealing with other's expectations. Hadn't almost everyone he'd ever met, including his parents, expected him to be a slightly nicer, more confident version of his father? Scorpius had never tried to meet those expectations, but he couldn't imagine having been able to carry off even the appearance of being a 'better Draco' for years at a time. Obviously, therefore, Rose WAS what she had appeared to be at Hogwarts. She may have changed in the years since then, but he did not believe that her entire persona at school had been faked. "Perhaps, you are just confused about who you are now."

"It is more than that. I've been trying to live up to some idealistic view my Mum and Dad and grandparents all shared about my life and my future. And because I'm personable and intelligent, I pulled it off – I created that façade, but it doesn't mean it was true! Since graduation, moreover, it has been harder and harder to even WANT to live that fantasy anymore. I am sick of acting like I want to make the world a better place or play Quidditch for a living or be some sort of international political figure. Merlin, Scorpius, I don't know what I want, except the thought of coming out to my parents about what I don't want has turned me into a horrible coward."

"I find it hard to believe that your parents would want you to live out their dream for your life knowing that it was making you unhappy."

Rose snorted inelegantly. "It must be easy to exceed your parent's expectations for you, when all it requires is that you don't become a Death Eater."

Despite being tactless, the redhead's comment made Scorpius laugh. "How much time do you have Rose? I'd love to regale you with the many ways I've failed to meet my families' hopes for me."

Rose perked up a bit at his words. "I've got all day. So get started."

**41 Hours and Counting**

Rose bought another stein of beer and pushed it in front of Scorpius. "Drink up, mate," she smiled.

Feeling a bit light-headed, Scorpius wasn't really sure he should continue to indulge, but it wasn't like he had any place to be in the near future. His return Portkey didn't activate until 8 p.m. Sunday evening, so there was really no harm in relaxing a little. "Thanks, Rose," he smiled at the girl.

They had arrived at the beer garden an hour ago, after spending a satisfying morning complaining about parents, job opportunities, and living under a societal spotlight where your life never seemed to belong solely to you. Although Scorpius had not gotten the vivacious red-head to sit down and compose a note of explanation to her parents, he was sure that her capitulation to his request would occur before the evening ended.

Right now, however, he didn't really want to push her. It would put her in a foul mood and he simply felt more comfortable when she was cheerful. Moreover, since their morning truce, Rose had been completely focused on him and it was enough to leave one feeling like the most fascinating person in the world – a sensation that was extremely rare for Scorpius Malfoy. Had the blond not been somewhere between tipsy and drunk, or had he been in Slytherin and not Ravenclaw, he might have recognized that he was not THAT interesting and that the girl undoubtedly had an ulterior motive in mind.

"So," Rose asked taking a quick drink of her beer, "if you could do anything you wanted, be whatever you wanted, what would you be?"

"I like working in the Department of Mysteries. I mean, sure someday, I'd like to work my way up the ladder, maybe become a department head, but I'm not eager to rush into that type of responsibility. Besides it is nice to know you've gotten somewhere because you've earned it, not because of family connections or because your grandfather threatened to hex someone."

"Maybe that's my problem."

"You've got an unstable grandfather, too?"

Rose rolled her eyes at him. "No. Maybe my problem is that I can't ever be sure whether my accomplishments are really mine or are because of my family. Did I make the Harriers because I'm a good chaser or because my Aunt Ginny pulled some strings? Did I get the internship in the German Ministry because I deserved it or because my Mum is Hermione Granger and my Dad is Ron Weasley and they are the best mates of the 'Boy-Who-Lived'? It can be so demoralizing never knowing what is really due to your own efforts and what is just a happenstance of birth."

"How long have you felt like this?"

Rose shrugged and took another drink. Her eyes scanning the crowd.

"Rose, you earned everything you got at Hogwarts."

"Maybe," she replied not sounding convinced.

"You did. You had the best grades in at least two-thirds of our classes, you were the top scorer on the Ravenclaw Quidditch team, and you were liked and respected by all the Houses. There is no way you didn't deserve to be Head Girl," Scorpius reassured her.

"Well, I'm not even sure I would have done any of those things had my parents not urged me on. It was my Mum's dream to Head Girl, and my Dad's to be a great Quidditch player; none of that was really my idea."

"Is that why…" his voice trailed off.

"Is that why what?" she asked, her eyes bright.

"Well, why no one from our year has heard from you much since school?"

She shrugged again. "Yeah, I suspect so. I just didn't want to talk about my life and how great everyone thought it was when I thought was it was utter shite. I was actually glad to get traded out of England because it then became harder for people to contact me. I skived off family events by claiming to be training or doing volunteer work for local wizarding orphanages. I even managed to avoid Hugo and Al for over a year. The only people I've had contact with are Mum and Dad. I might have avoided that too, if my Mum hadn't put some sort of charm on her letters making it impossible to set down a quill until they have been answered."

"Why me?"

She blushed. "Would you believe I picked your name out of a hat?"

"I'm not quite drunk enough to fall for that. Give me another hour, though…"

She grinned. "Well, it really was a fairly calculated move on my part."

"Imagine that," Scorpius drawled. He was a bit surprised at his tone. Apparently, alcohol made him sarcastic. He'd have to get drunk next time his father wanted to meet for coffee.

"I figured that if I had claimed to be in some sort unrequited relationship with anyone besides you, they would want to know why they hadn't heard about it before. But with you… what with our parents' history and all, I figured they'd not question why I'd kept quiet. I had hoped that they'd just drop it and give me time to 'get over you'. But, I guess Dad felt the need to defend me. I'm really impressed that you didn't spill your guts in front of him. He can be intimidating when he chooses."

"I would have loved to 'spill my guts' as you so eloquently phrased it, but I was too shocked. Besides, I doubt he would have believed a word I had to say."

She grinned wider, obviously not embarrassed to have drawn him into her scheme. "That was my failsafe."

Scorpius shook his head. "I'm just glad you are going to clear it all up now."

"I'm not clearing it up," she informed him, a frown marring her face.

"Yes, you are. That is why I came here, to get you to tell you parents that I had nothing to do with your decision to stay in Germany."

"Why you came here is irrelevant, because I am not going to tell my parents that I lied to them."

Scorpius could not believe her gall. "But you DID lie to them!"

"So?!? They don't need to know that!" she responded heatedly.

"Yes they do! Preferably before your mother kills me and you father hides my body."

"Merlin, you sound like a Hufflepuff!"

"That is rich, coming from the girl who is scared to tell her parents she lied to them." This time Scorpius was quite proud of his sarcasm. He wondered how hard it would be stay half lit every time he had to deal with Rose.

Crossing her arms over her chest, Rose gave back as good as she got. "Don't worry, Scorpius. I won't leave you to deal with my big, bad Mum and Dad, all by yourself."

"So, you are going to write them?

"No," she had shaking her head. "I'm going to come home to England with you and tell them that we've made up."

Scorpius stared at the girl in silence for several seconds before he threw back the rest of his beer and pounded his empty stein on the table. "Barkeep," he yelled. "Get me another!"

**37 Hours and Counting  
**  
His head was pounding. All he wanted to do was sleep, but Rose would not leave him alone. She'd plied him with alcohol, confessed her mad plan, and then began to try and wear him down by refusing to give him a minute's peace until he either went mad or caved in to her ridiculous scheme. Currently he was sitting on the sofa in her flat, his feet propped up on the coffee table, his head leaning back on the cushions, his eyes closed, trying desperately to block out her voice. It wasn't working.

"It won't be so bad. As soon as I find a job I can help with the rent payments and grocery tab. I'm not always such a slob, either. I can be as neat as a pin if I want to be. You'll hardly even know I'm there."

"Know you are where?" the blond asked, slightly confused. "Back in England?"

"Well, yes. But I meant, you'd hardly notice that I was in your flat."

He opened his eyes at that and turned his head toward her. "Why would you be in my flat?"

"I'm going to live there. You really don't expect me to move back in with my parents, do you?" she asked.

"You are nutters. You want your folks to think that not only are we dating, but that we are also living together? Do you _want_ my dismembered body to turn up in Knockturn Alley?"

"Why do you think my parents will do you bodily harm? They really aren't all that scary."

Scorpius stared at her without answering for several seconds. He now knew why his father sneered. "Rose, your Dad cornered me in a dark hallway in the Ministry and threatened me just because he thought we had once been involved. I can only imagine the horrors I will have to face if he thinks we are shagging regularly."

The blue-eyed girl giggled. "They aren't going to do anything to you. If they yell at anyone, it will be at me."

"I am not reassured."

"Look. This is the perfect answer to my dilemma. I'm almost out of cash, so I need to return home soon, anyway. However, I don't want to live with my Mum and Dad. They'll drive me barmy by trying to push me into working at the Ministry or in some other 'morally significant' occupation. I just can't take the looks of disappointment I'll get every day that I'm not doing something they think is important. If I move in with you, not only do I not have to admit that I misled them a bit in my last letter, but I will gain the space I need to find a job that is about ME and not about them."

"And will this eventually end? Or will we have to pretend to get married and have kids too?"

"Oh, ha ha. You're so hilarious," Rose dead-panned while rolling her eyes. "As soon as I find a job and save up a few Galleons, we can 'break-up' and I'll move out."

Scorpius didn't know if it was the alcohol or the headache or the fact that Rose really wasn't the type to take 'no' for an answer, but he felt himself going against all reason and acquiescing to her wishes. "If I agree to this plan, will you let me go to sleep?"

Giving a squeal of delight, Rose threw her arms around his neck and pressed her lips against his.

Scorpius' heart leapt into his throat where it immediately choked him. Placing his hands gently on her shoulders, he pushed the red-headed girl away gently. "Rose, you can't. I am seeing someone."

She blinked at him and her cheeks flushed. "Oh, I'm sorry! I didn't know. I am just so excited! Don't worry; I won't let it happen again." She smiled at him broadly and for a moment, he wished that there wasn't anyone else. "Go lay down in my room. I'm going to start packing in here. I want to be able to leave as soon as possible."

As Scorpius rose and made his way to her bed, he couldn't help but wonder just what the hell he had gotten himself into.


	2. Chapter 2

Title: The Flower and the Scorpion (2/4)  
Author: **drcjsnider**  
Pairing: Rose/Scorpius  
Rating: PG-13  
Summary: Scorpius Malfoy is on a mission to bring Rose Weasley home.  
Word Count: 4,829  
Notes/Warning: Big thanks to **kazfeist** and Ellae for doing the beta work for this. They keep me from looking stupid.

**25 Hours and Counting**

Scorpius Malfoy was certain that something had crawled into his mouth and died. There was no other possible explanation for the rancid taste coating his tongue. Apparently, whatever had contaminated his oral cavity had first repeatedly dropped several large rocks on his skull leaving him with a pounding headache. The blond really hoped he wasn't coming down with the flu; there were too many interesting projects going on his department the next week that he didn't want to miss. It wasn't until he opened his eyes to Floo his mother and ask her if she had any home remedies to ward off impending illness that he realized that he wasn't in his flat. Less than two seconds later, he also remembered exactly why he felt completely likely shite – it was compliments of Ms. Rose G. Weasley.

Groaning, Scorpius recalled Rose taking him out and getting him drunk before informing of him of her plan to return to England, move in with him, and then inform her parents that they were a couple. It was obvious, when one didn't have a stein of beer in hand, that her elaborate strategy to avoid disappointing her parents was a train-wreck just waiting to happen. And he would tell her so, just as soon as he took a hang-over potion.

Struggling to his feet, Scorpius pulled on a t-shirt and made his way into the bathroom where he rummaged through Rose's medicine cabinet. In most circumstances, he would have felt bloody awkward looking through a female acquaintance's personal things, but at this particular moment, he figured she owed him. He'd write her an apology note later if his conscience started to bother him.

Just as he suspected, Rose was stocked up on hangover potion, Pepperup potion, and what looked suspiciously like birth-control potion. It also looked like she had one entire shelf devoted to Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes products that enhanced one's sexual experiences. Scorpius blushed just reading the descriptions on the boxes. He wondered idly if he'd ever be able to look Rose in the eye again. Of course, he suspected that it would be easier to look her in the eye than look at her chest and try to imagine just what she did with the box of flavoured nipple cream.

Shaking his head at the improper direction of his thoughts, Scorpius removed two vials of hang-over potion and shut the cabinet. He would drink one vial, get Rose to drink a vial and then sit down with the girl and explain why he could not live with her _or_ pretend to be her boyfriend. He'd offer to help her find a place of her own and even assist her in composing a thoughtful and honest missive to her parents. He would not allow himself, however, to be swayed by her foolish plan. He was a grown man and he would not allow his life to become needlessly complicated by the girl – no matter how attractive or charming he had once found her.

Quaffing his potion, he made his way into the sitting room. He was surprised at just how much packing Rose had accomplished the night before. There were boxes full of kitchen utensils, books, and other knick-knacks. Apparently she could still be productive when she wasn't wasting time trying to avoid her parents' expectations for her. It gave him a modicum of hope that the former Hogwarts' Head Girl was not destined for a life of idle dissipation and debauchery. 

Scorpius couldn't help but catch his breath, as he glanced over the side of the couch. There curled up on the seat cushions, wearing only shorts and a white cami was Rose. She looked striking, yet innocent, while asleep. The long, curly, red-hair, the slim lanky figure, the freckles that dotted her face, arms, and legs, all seemed so different and almost forbidden to the young Malfoy. It didn't take much for him to remember why he'd had a crush on her from fifth through seventh year. 

Seeing goose bumps on her arms, Scorpius picked up a blanket from the end of the couch and covered the sleeping girl with it. Blinking herself awake, Rose smiled up at him. "You are going to be such a great flatmate," she whispered.

His brain screamed at him to set her straight and to tell her that she could not move in with him, but some other part of him, some part he barely recognized and definitely couldn't name, smiled at her and nodded his head. "I daresay you'll get sick of me faster than you expect."

"Impossible," she giggled quietly, before closing her eyes and falling back to sleep.

**13 Hours and Counting**

"Nice flat," Rose commented, setting down the end of her trunk.

She and Scorpius had just taken a Portkey from her place in Germany to his flat in England.

"Care for a tour?" he asked, a bit awkwardly.

"Sure," she smiled. "But give me a minute; I want to owl my parents."

"Of course. There is a quill and some parchment in the drawer of the coffee table," Scorpius informed her, nodding towards his sitting room.

"Great." Rose exclaimed, before moving in the room and sitting on the couch. She pulled the writing supplies out of the table and quickly composed a note.

_Mum and Dad,_

_I'm back. Moved in with Scorpius, so no more threats! I'll come by later this week to chat._

_Love,_

_Rose_

She handed the note to her new flatmate. "What do you think?"

Scorpius' eyes grew wide as he read the note. "You aren't seriously going to send this?"

Frowning slightly, Rose snatched the parchment out of his hand. "It's fine. Anything more would probably be a fib and make them suspicious. Do you have an owl?"

"No," Scorpius lied. He was completely put out by Rose's attitude.

"Fine," she replied, sitting back on the couch with a smirk. "You can just give it to my dad when he corners you in the Ministry tomorrow morning."

Scorpius' mouth dropped open. "You manipulative witch! No wonder the Slytherin Quidditch captain followed you around all Sixth and Seventh Year."

"Bah!" she blushed.

Scorpius' lips twitched. Wonder of wonders, Rose Weasley could still blush.

"He only followed me around because he was trying to get a hold of the Ravenclaw playbook."

"Did he succeed?" Scorpius asked, genuinely curious. Nearly everyone in their house had been shocked, when Rose had dated Ethan Flint for a few months at the beginning of Seventh Year.

"Oh, please!" she huffed. "Although I MAY have passed him the Gryffindor playbook a couple of days before their match."

"You sold your family out for a boyfriend?"

"Hardly," Rose responded, rolling her eyes. "I sold my family out for my House. If you remember, Ravenclaw was tied with Gryffindor for the Quidditch Cup; I needed Slytherin to beat them if we were going to have a chance to win that year. Besides, dating Flint gave me access to THEIR playbook."

"No way, he showed you that!"

"I said it gave me access, not that he SHOWED me anything." 

Shaking his head, Scorpius stuck out his hand. "Give me the letter. I'll send it. Merlin forbid that I actually thwart the mighty Rose Weasley."

After he finished sending off her missive, Scorpius gave the witch a tour of his flat. He was highly satisfied at all her expressions of approval and just a little bit amused when she realized he only had one bedroom. "Guess I'll be sleeping on the couch, yeah?" she grinned, looking back at him as they stepped back into the sitting room.

Scorpius froze staring across Rose's shoulder into the main part of his flat. When the red-head turned to see what he was looking at, she smiled hesitantly at the petite girl standing near the front door.

"Scorpius?" the girl frowned.

"Um… hi, Anne," he replied, stepping around Rose and moving toward the girl. "You remember Rose Weasley from Hogwarts, right?"

The girl nodded, her eyes darting between Scorpius and Rose. "Rose, this is Anne--"

"Goldstein," Rose interrupted, stepping forward to shake the girl's hand. "You were two or three years behind us at school."

"Three," the brown-haired witch answered, ignoring Rose's proffered hand. She looked up at Scorpius. "What's going on?"

Scorpius swallowed hard. "Rose just moved back to London and needs a place to bunk until she finds a job and a flat. I told her that she was welcome to sleep on my couch."

"What's wrong with her family? Can't her parents or one of her cousins take her in? It's common knowledge that you can't swing a dead cat on Diagon Alley without hitting a Weasley, after all." Anne's statement might have been amusing, except for the fact that it had been said in a spiteful tone.

"Well, you see…" Rose began.

"I wasn't talking to you," Anne cut in sharply. 

"Anne!" Scorpius exclaimed, deeply shocked at her rudeness. He'd been seeing the girl for a few months and had never known her to be anything but polite and a bit on the shy side. "I really don't think your comment was at all appropriate."

"Well, I don't think it is appropriate for YOU to allow her to stay here."

Scorpius straightened his shoulders and set his jaw. "It's not really for you to decide, Anne." Rose hadn't seen him look so commanding since he'd stood up in the Ravenclaw common room during his fourth year and defended the memory of Severus Snape from some seventh year who had just declared that the portrait of the former headmaster should be taken down and burned. 

The witch blushed. "Perhaps not, but I can decide whether or not I want to continue to date someone who cares so little about my feelings."

"Hey! Calm down," Rose interjected, trying desperately to play peacemaker. "Let's all just take a deep breath so we don't say something we might regret later."

Anne and Scorpius turned toward her, both determined to speak. Anne, however, got her words at first. "You are such a piece of work. Have you run through all the good Quidditch players and now are starting to work your way through Ministry employees?"

"Whoa! It's not like that."

"It's okay, Rose," Scorpius spoke softly, yet firmly. "If Anne trusted me at all, this wouldn't be an issue."

"And if you cared for ME at all, you never would have brought HER here."

Rose felt sick to her stomach. Just what the hell had she wrought? "Shite, Scorpius. I never meant to come between you and your girl. Let's forget everything. I'll move in with James and Al and you two can pretend this never happened."

"What I am going to pretend never happened," Anne hissed, "is that I ever thought Scorpius Malfoy was worth my time!"

Raising an eyebrow and drawling in an aristocratic tone Rose had rarely ever heard him use, the blond replied to the fuming girl, "How ever will I survive?"

Ignoring his sarcasm, Anne turned to Rose. "It is nice to see that some things never change. You were a self-absorbed, better-than-the-rest-of-world-bitch at Hogwarts and you still are. I'll have to inform all the former members of the 'Rose Weasley is a Berk Club.'"

When Rose blanched, Anne smirked in satisfaction. "You didn't know there was a club? I'm surprised Lily didn't tell you, considering she was one of the founding members."

Scorpius grabbed a hold of Anne's arm and began leading her to the front door. "It's time that you leave."

"Happily," the girl spat, breaking free of his grasp, wrenching open the door, and then slamming it shut.

Taking a deep breath, Scorpius glanced over at Rose, who refused to look at him. He could tell, however, that her eyes were brimming with tears. "Rose…"

"I need to use the powder room," she murmured, turning around quickly and heading down the hall.

Sitting down heavily on the couch, Scorpius rested his head in his hands and tried not to think about anything. 

**12 Hours and Counting**

When Rose returned to the sitting room, it was if she had never been upset. Sitting down in a chair next to the couch, she leaned over and placed a hand on Scorpius' leg. "I'm so sorry about all of that. I should have anticipated that the person you're involved with wouldn't take kindly to having another woman moving into your flat."

Placing his hand on top of hers and giving it a quick squeeze before letting it drop away, Scorpius smiled at her a bit sadly. "You have nothing to be sorry about, Rose. It isn't your responsibility to think about my love life."

"Still," she sighed. "It really was all so unnecessary. I think it is best if I leave tonight and give you a chance to patch things up with Anne."

"No offence, but no matter how much I might have liked Anne and enjoyed her company before, after her display tonight, I can't imagine resuming a relationship with her."

"But maybe she just has a passionate soul and really cares about you. I doubt that I'd have reacted reasonably and properly if the guy I was dating was letting some unattached woman move in with him."

Scorpius almost snorted at the idea that Anne had a passionate soul. He had never seen her as animated as she had been tonight. Moreover, he had a sinking feeling that her concern hadn't been about a woman moving in with HIM, but rather that ROSE was doing the moving. "Perhaps not, but I doubt you'd go so far as to verbally attack the woman."

"I suspect we are all capable of things we'd rather not acknowledge. You really shouldn't hold her accountable for things she said in the heat of the moment."

He shrugged. "I'm not really concerned about her right now. How are you?"

"Fine."

"Rose…"

"I am fine, really. It's just a little hard to hear how there is this entire group of people existing, who don't like you and have never liked you. It is especially disconcerting to find out that these people detested me so much they held scheduled meetings to discuss their dislike. I can't help but wonder if they followed Parliamentary Procedure, took notes, and then stored all the records in Hogwarts' archives. And to heap some paranoia on top of the embarrassment, I am also wondering whether there aren't anti-Rose Weasley chapters spread throughout all of Wizarding Europe. Maybe there are even some receiving stipends from their governments for special 'I hate Rose Weasley' programming."

Scorpius smiled gently. "At least, people were aware of you enough to form anti-Rose clubs. I doubt half the people in our class could pick me out of a line-up, let alone care enough to have an opinion about me, one way or the other."

"That really doesn't sound so bad," the girl smiled, giving his leg another squeeze. "Now let me get out of your hair. I'll Floo over to James' and Al's place. They have to take me in for at least the night; I'm family."

"No!" Scorpius exclaimed a little more loudly and forcefully than he'd intended. "I want you to stay, seriously. If Anne and I do get back together, I don't want her to think it's because I am willing to cave in to her unreasonable demands. Besides, if you are living here, there is probably less chance your father will torture me and then dispose of my body in some out-of-the-way location."

Rose shook her head. "Are you sure?"

"Of course, I reconciled myself to the idea of you moving in yesterday. If I now have to re-reconcile myself to you moving out, well, that is a lot of reconciling for a man who likes his life to be tidy."

"Um… I don't think re-reconcile is a word," Rose replied with a tiny grin.

Scorpius just waved his hand as if signalling that the conversation was over. He stood, but before he could leave the room, Rose jumped up and gave him a sudden hug. "Thanks so much for everything," she said softly before releasing him. "I promise you won't even know I am here."

Taking a step back so he wouldn't do anything asinine like pulling _her_ into a hug, the blond just nodded and headed to his bedroom. He frankly didn't think much of Rose's promise. He was so aware of her presence and her every movement, that the girl could be hit with a silencing spell and be living under an invisibility cloak and he'd still know she was in his flat.

**Blast-Off**

At precisely 9:00 a.m. an inter-office memo arrived above Scorpius' desk requesting his presence in the office of the Director of Magical Law Enforcement at noon. The muscles in the blond's stomach clenched painfully upon reading the missive. Despite the fact that he regularly provided assistance in law enforcement investigations involving banned and experimental magical substances, he'd never been called upstairs before. Sweet Merlin, he'd never had a discussion with even a junior member of the department before, let alone with the director. He was positive that there was only one reason he'd been called to Hermione Weasley's office and that reason was currently sleeping on a couch in his sitting room.

At ten minutes to twelve, Scorpius began to clear his desk. He'd spent most of his morning sorting his work into neat piles and documenting his most recent activities. He wanted to make sure that whoever took over his projects, after he got sacked or his body ended up floating in the Thames, would be able to quickly assume his responsibilities. It wasn't that he was scared of facing Director Weasley – he preferred to think of it as self-preservation – but he was nervous about having to lie to protect Rose. It was one thing to stand behind, far behind, the fiery red-head as she perjured herself; it was another thing to have to take the lead in such an undertaking. As he trudged upstairs, he wondered if he had the right to remain silent about his relationship with Rose.

When he reached Hermione Weasley's office door, he took a deep breath to slowly gather his courage. Before he was completely ready to knock, however, someone grabbed him roughly by the sleeve. 

"You planning on standing there all day, Malfoy? Get your arse in gear, my wife doesn't like to be kept waiting." With those solicitous words, Ron Weasley pushed open the Director's door and propelled Scorpius into the room. 

Hermione Weasley glanced up from the papers on her desk. "Ron. Mr. Malfoy. Have a seat, please. I'll be done in one minute."

Scorpius gratefully sat in the chair closest to the door. Mr. Weasley, however, moved beside his wife, leaned over and kissed her on the cheek, and then remained standing. It was clear to the former Ravenclaw, from how the Auror was staring at him through narrowed eyes, his arms crossed in front of his chest, that this was going to be an interrogation. He was about to be questioned by two of the most powerful and experienced members of the Ministry, a pair who had spent most of their professional lives bringing suspected Death Eaters and other similar psychopaths to justice. Scorpius wondered if he could make it out of his seat and through the door before one of the Weasley's Stunned him. He doubted it.

Setting aside her quill, Director Weasley gave him a kind, if not warm, smile. "Mr. Malfoy," she began. "I believe you attended Hogwarts with my son and daughter."

"Yes," he squeaked. Scorpius cleared his throat. "Yes, Director." 

"You were in Ravenclaw with Rose and in YEWTS with Hugo?"

"Yes, Director. Hugo and I were the co-founders of Young English Wizard's Transfiguration Society."

Nodding slightly, the witch replied calmly, "I really wish something similar had been available while I was at Hogwarts. I always believed that extra-curricular activities should not have been limited to playing Quidditch—"

"Hermione," her husband interrupted her gruffly. 

She grimaced, before continuing. "And now you are living with my daughter?"

"Yes, Director. She's moved into my flat."

"You're flatmates? She has her own private space?"

"Ur… not exactly."

"You little, fucking, prick," Ron Weasley growled, his hands clenching at his sides. 

Scorpius wished he'd thought to write a farewell letter to his Mum.

Before any physical violence could be done, however, the door to the office slammed open. Standing there in Muggle jeans and a jumper, her hair wild about her head, her wand in hand, stood Rose. The air in the room was suddenly charged with a different kind of energy that hadn't been there before. Hermione had pushed her chair back, rising from her seat. Ron had taken a step forward, shock marring his face. "Rosie?"

"Dad!" the girl squealed, bounding into the room and throwing herself into his arms.

Scorpius watched as the older man wrapped Rose in a bone-crushing hug. Soon, though, the girl was pulled away by her mum. "Share, Ron!" the brown-haired witch demanded. When Rose was free, Hermione placed her hands either side of her daughter's face and stared deeply into her eyes. Apparently satisfied with whatever she saw there, she too took the girl into her arms. "Oh darling, I'm so glad you are home!"

When she was free once more, Rose sat on the edge of her Mum's desk each of her hands clasped in one of her parents'. "I'm sorry I stayed away so long! I should have come home ages ago, but between the team and the volunteering, I just kept putting it off. Do say you'll forgive me?"

"Silly girl," her mum smiled. "There is nothing to forgive! We have been so proud of you and everything you've accomplished."

"The Harriers were nutters for letting you go. Ginny says she can get you a tryout with the Harpies, if you want it."

"Dad!

"Ron, leave her alone about Quidditch. I don't like you doing all that travelling anyway, sweetheart. There are several openings in the Ministry where you would be wonderful. Why, your granddad's old department would probably hire you today if you went down there and applied."

"Mum," Rose sighed deeply. "I don't know…"

"The Department of Magical Games and Sports has several openings too. I bet you'd be a shoo-in for one of those spots," her father grinned.

"Or you could always apply to be an intern on the Minister of Magic's staff. It wouldn't pay much and it's a competitive process, but I can hardly imagine them turning away someone with your NEWT scores and international experience," Hermione assured her daughter.

"You know, I just really haven't decided yet…"

"And that is exactly why you should jump right into something. It will be much easier for you to discover what you like if you are surrounded by different opportunities. It's time you started building your future, darling."

"Sitting around contemplating life is not an answer to anything, Rosie."

"Maybe," Rose floundered.

Scorpius now saw first-hand the pressure Rose felt at being the child of two driven and successful Ministry officials. No wonder the girl had hidden behind him as an excuse to stay in Germany. No wonder she didn't want to move back in with parents. Although the Weasleys obviously loved their daughter, they were also oblivious to the pressure they had placed on her. He thought his dad was bad, but at least his dad and mum never double-teamed him.

"Rose," Scorpius spoke up. "There is no rush to make any decisions. Who knows, you might not even want to work in the Ministry or competitive sports once you've been back in England for a couple of months."

All three Weasleys turned toward him. Only Rose, though, looked grateful for the interruption.

"Malfoy, if you think anyone here gives a bloody fuck about your opinion, you are sorely mistaken," Ron glared at the blond on the other side of the room.

"Hey!" Rose barked, shaking her hands free of her parents and stepping back towards Scorpius. 

The blond watched as Rose's mum laid a restraining hand on her husband's arm. "Sorry, dear. It is just that your father and I have been very confused about your entire relationship with Scorpius. Exactly when did it start? How _did_ it start, given you've been out of the country for two years?"

"Why are you staying at his flat instead of at home with us, where you belong?" the menacing Auror growled at his daughter.

Scorpius tensed up, certain that all of Rose's alibis and plans were about to come crashing down on her head. Surely it was impossible for her elaborate scheme to survive the scrutiny of two of the best investigators in the Wizarding World. When the girl straightened her back, placed a hand on his shoulder, and faced her parents without flinching, Scorpius vowed not never again underestimate her will.

"Why is this all of a sudden feeling like a Ministry inquiry into my personal life?"

"Darling," her mother began patiently, "we can't help but be concerned. It was just a week ago that you told us that you weren't coming back to England because of Scorpius Malfoy and then last night, not a week later, we get an owl that you've returned and have moved in with him. It was all I could do to prevent your father from Apparating to the Ministry and nicking his employment file."

"I'm surprised he needed to nick it. When I'd heard that Dad had cornered Scorpius on Level 9 last Friday morning, I'd assumed he'd already gotten a copy of it," Rose informed her mother.

Turning to her husband, Hermione exclaimed angrily, "Ron! You promised you weren't going to do anything!"

"I didn't DO anything. We just had a simple conversation, man to man, l'homme á l'homme. It got her home, didn't it?"

"And you wonder why I kept my relationship with Scorpius secret," Rose huffed. "I knew as soon as you and Dad found out I was dating Draco Malfoy's son, your response would be negative. I could never picture either of you sitting down with him over afternoon tea." 

"It would have been nice if you'd given us the option, Rose."

"No, it wouldn't have," Ron grumbled, earning himself an elbow in the ribs from his wife.

"Of course, we are going to react negatively when the first we hear about your relationship with Scorpius is that he's broken your heart and you aren't going to return to England until you've recovered. That is hardly the kind of news that is going to allow one's parents to rest easy."

"Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, please don't blame Rose for not telling you sooner about our relationship. It was my idea to keep things quiet," Scorpius interjected. He wasn't sure where this streak of chivalry was coming from, but an over-whelming desire to protect the spirited red-headed overcame his natural reticence. "I didn't see any point in upsetting our families when we were in the midst of a long-distance relationship."

Rose smiled at him gratefully. His gut tightened up at just how lovely she was, even when risking both their lives by lying to her parents.

"And now?" Hermione asked the young pair in front of her.

"And now that I'm back, we are going to give it another shot," the girl informed her mother. "I think the rest of the details shouldn't be important to anyone but Scorpius and me."

Her parents glanced at each other, but neither spoke. Rose knew this meant she had at least a twelve-hour reprieve while they plotted some new method to influence her personal and employment choices. She grinned at them. "Now that everything is cleared up. Would you two care to join me and Scorpius for lunch?"

"Do I have to be nice to him?" her father asked through narrowed eyes.

"No nicer than you ever were to any of my other boyfriends," Rose assured him.

Ron grunted, before turning to his wife, who nodded slowly. "So what do you think the Cannons' chances are to win fifty percent of their games this year, Rosie?" The Auror asked his daughter, taking her by the arm and leading her out of the office.

Scorpius watched them leave, his heart pounding at what he and Rose and accomplished. He couldn't believe it was over so quickly and so painlessly. Of course, some nagging voice in the back of his head was reminding him that nothing was really OVER, that it was all just beginning. "You can walk with me, Mr. Malfoy," Hermione informed the slightly bemused young man. 

"Yes, Director," he replied, rising and giving Rose's mum his arm.

"Now, you must tell me about everything you're working on in the Department of Mysteries. I've always wanted an inside source on Level 9."


	3. Chapter 3

**Title:** The Flower and the Scorpion (3/4)  
**Author:** drcjsnider  
**Pairing:** Rose/Scorpius  
**Rating:** PG-13  
**Summary:** Scorpius Malfoy is on a mission to bring Rose Weasley home.  
**Word Count**: 5728  
**Notes/Warning:** Great big thanks to Kazfeist for doing the beta work for this. She is great at catching mistakes and cleaning up my word choices! Also, I took the names for the Weasley cousins from a television interview in which JKR talked about the next generation. FYI: Louis is third child of Bill and Fleur; Fred and Roxanne are the children of George and Angelina; James, Albus, and Lily are the children of Harry and Ginny; Rose and Hugo are children of Ron and Hermione.

If anyone had bothered to keep tabs on Scorpius Malfoy, they would have known that this was the first time since he had bought his flat that he had actually walked home from the Ministry. He did not dislike the physical activity that walking necessitated; however, he was not comfortable strolling through Muggle London. He felt too out of place, too unsure of himself, to relax. Although he had taken Muggle Studies at Hogwarts, he'd found the class too theoretical. Hesitant in even the best of circumstances, Scorpius would have preferred some field trips or hands-on experience with Muggle objects as preparation for venturing beyond familiar wizarding streets.

Despite his uncertainty of the Muggle world, Scorpius had decided that it would be rude to simply Floo into his sitting room now that Rose was using it as her bedroom. She could be doing ANYTHING in there. He blushed, imagining stepping out of the fireplace while she was half-dressed. He quickly scolded himself for such thoughts. Pretending to be dating the girl was going to be difficult enough without those kinds of images invading his head. He needed to be sensible and focused about this entire situation and he definitely would be neither if he kept thinking about Rose's uncovered bits.

The other reason Scorpius had decided to walk home, rather than simply Apparating to Diagon Alley, was that he needed to mull over what had happened at lunch today with Rose and her parents. The meeting had gone reasonably well. Of course, he hadn't had terribly high expectations; as long as he was able to leave the restaurant on his own two feet he would have deemed it a success. But not only had there been no violence – no hexes, no aggressive spells – there also hadn't even been any yelling. That really surprised him. At school the Weasley cousins had been notorious screamers – especially with each other. He had suspected that it was some sort of dominant gene connected to having red and/or bushy hair, which must be why Rose was the loudest of them all. Yet their lunch conversation had been conducted in normal speaking tones. Anyone glancing over at the two couples would have thought that it was just a typical meal. No one would have ever suspected that an interrogation was being conducted.

Scorpius wondered if Rose would object to that description, although it had been obvious to him that it was happening. After all, the majority of conversations that he'd had with both his father and his grandfather had been interrogations. They vigorously asked questions to elicit the information that they cared about, information that would improve their decision-making abilities and might give them an advantage over someone else. There was rarely any indication that they were sincerely interested in Scorpius' life or simply wanted to know how he'd been spending his time, never any indication that they genuinely cared in a non-judgemental way about his plans or feelings.

At least the Weasleys' grilling appeared to be motivated by a sincere concern with Rose's happiness and well-being. Still, he found it quite daunting to be facing two of the Ministry's most formidable law enforcement officials. They had the 'good cop/bad cop' routine – one useful piece of information Scorpius had retained from Muggle Studies – down pat.

"_Malfoy, what exactly are your intentions toward my daughter?" _

"_Dad!"_

"_What my husband means, Scorpius, is that we are delighted that Rose is happy and we expect her to remain so."_

"_Of course, Director."_

"_We had better not hear of you subjecting her to any of your family's blood nonsense!"_

"_Stop it, Dad!"_

"_While we have little doubt of your sensibility, Scorpius, I'm sure you must understand Ron's and my concern. We would loath to have Rose exposed to the slights that some families, which in the past held certain blood status beliefs, might subject her to."_

"_I… I can assure you, Director, that neither myself, nor my parents, maintain or espouse any such sentiments. I would never allow Rose to be insulted by anyone."_

And so the conversation had continued for the rest of the meal, until Scorpius felt quite sick to his stomach. It had taken him half the afternoon to recover. Although he hadn't directly lied to the Weasleys, every answer he gave them served to confirm Rose's assertion that they were a couple. He was glad to be finally returning home so he could rest, and recuperate, and perhaps glare a bit at Rose for having thrust him into the middle of such a situation.

As he made his way up the stairs towards his flat, however, Scorpius heard loud voices coming from inside. Drawing his wand, he pushed open the door prepared to confront whatever was within his flat. Or at least he thought he was prepared. But who can ever really be prepared to walk into a room full of hysterical and screaming Weasleys and Potters? Certainly not Scorpius Malfoy!

He backed away from the door, determined to flee the scene. He didn't care if it was cowardly or boorish behaviour. He liked his bollocks right where they were, and not nailed above the mantle of James' and Al's fireplace. Before he could escape, however, a rough hand clapped down on his shoulder and shoved him into the room. "Don't even think about taking off, mate."

When Scorpius looked around, it was to see that Fred Weasley was effectively blocking the door to the stairs. Sighing deeply, the blond took in the chaotic scene in front of him. On one side of the room stood Hugo with his arm wrapped around a teary-eyed Lily Potter. On the other side of the room, Rose stood tensely, flanked on either side by Al and Fred's sister, Roxanne. Separating the two groups were James Potter and Louis Weasley, who appeared to be trying to keep the peace.

"Stop blubbering, Lily. You brought this all on yourself," Al's voice rang out over the commotion.

"Shut up, Al," Hugo responded, tightening his hold on Lily. "You have no idea what it is like, being the youngest Weasleys at Hogwarts."

"The fuck we don't," Rose interrupted. "Al and I were the youngest for two years before you arrived and somehow we got through school without starting clubs to mock our family members!"

"Well, obviously it is easier following behind people who are cool and suave, like Fred and I, rather than annoying, do-gooder, swots, like you and Al," James interjected.

"Piss off," Rose and Al replied in unison.

"Rose," Lily cried. "I was thirteen! I was stupid and jealous. You had just given me a detention for running in the hall. I just wanted some revenge. I never thought it would get so out of hand!"

"What do you mean, out of hand?" Rose questioned angrily.

"Um… you know, that – that so many of the younger girls would want to join," Lily squeaked.

"How many?" Louis asked, his eyes bright.

Scorpius recalled that Louis was some sort of mathematical and Arithmancy genius, who worked alongside his father at Gringotts.

Lily shrugged. "Maybe a couple of dozen…"

"What?!" Rose exclaimed loudly.

"There was a big spike when you started dating Francisco Zabini." Lily cringed.

"Lily Potter, you are the most spoiled self-centred girl I know," Roxanne proclaimed, looking thoroughly disgusted with her younger cousin.

Lily began to cry in earnest, burying her face in Hugo's chest.

"What about Rose?" a red-faced Hugo demanded. "Let's talk about how selfish it was for her to flee the country for year, refuse to answer our owls, and conduct a hidden relationship with Malfoy."

Scorpius blanched at the mention of his name. Rose, however, was not similarly intimidated. "I was working in Germany," she huffed. "I didn't flee England!"

"But it was pretty shirty of you to not reply to our posts," Fred spoke from behind her.

When Rose turned around to look at him, she caught sight of Scorpius for the first time and her mouth turned up slightly in a smile. She then glared at Fred. "I think there is a world of difference between failure to answer one's mail and organizing a club to ridicule a family member."

"I agree," Al said supportively.

"Rose, I'm so very, very, sorry," Lily sobbed. "It only lasted for a little over a year and everyone involved swore to never speak of it."

"That worked just smashingly, didn't it?" Rose spat.

"Who told you?" Hugo inquired in an annoyed tone. He looked ready to do harm to whoever had spilled Lily's secret to Rose.

"It doesn't matter," Rose grumbled.

When it looked like she about to get the third degree from her family, Scorpius decided it was time to intervene. "Anne Goldstein told her."

"Who?"

"Anne Goldstein, my girl, ur… my former girlfriend."

Scorpius swallowed nervously, as he felt the frustrated gazes of the entire Weasley/Potter clan swing toward him. Before he could offer any type of apology or justification, however, Hugo came barrelling across the room and, without any sort of warning, landed a hard right hook to Scorpius' jaw.

Although Hugo was not as athletic as his sister, he had his father's height and build. It was not too surprising, therefore, that Scorpius ended up on the floor with only one punch. He wasn't seriously hurt, or at least he hadn't been, until Rose hit Hugo with a stunning spell that sent him toppling over on top of Scorpius, knocking the wind out of them both.

After that, there had been general uproar in the flat. James disarmed Rose to keep her from doing Hugo any further harm. Rose was so outraged at losing her wand that she picked up a picture frame and hurled it at James' head, as if it were a hoop through which she was trying to get a Quaffle. The second year Auror, however, had better reflexes now than when he had been Keeper for the Gryffindor Quidditch team, because he ducked and the frame hit Louis in the face, breaking his nose.

"Fuck, Rose!"

"Shite! Louis, I'm sorry!" Rose exclaimed, hurrying over to his side, and roughly pushing James out of the way.

Lily, meanwhile, rushed to Hugo and was being forcibly restrained by Roxanne from casting _Finite Incantatem_. "Don't even think about releasing him," Al warned. "The minute he's up, he'll be all over Rose and Scorpius again.

"But he didn't mean it! He is just frustrated," Lily replied defensively.

"You and Hugo seem to have excuses for all of your bad behaviour," Roxanne sarcastically pointed out.

Lily started to sniffle again.

"Lay off her," James said protectively, moving toward the men on the floor and effectively getting out of Rose's line of sight.

As Scorpius slowly struggled to his feet, Rose called out to Al. "Come make Louis beautiful again. He doesn't trust me to fix his nose." Al was in training to be a Healer and had become the default medic at all Weasley functions.

As Al stepped away, James and Fred cornered Scorpius against the wall. "So what is going on with you and our cousin?" Fred demanded.

"What do you mean?" Scorpius asked, still trying to catch his breath.

"I mean, how serious is this?"

Scorpius shrugged. "It's as serious as Rose desires."

James and Fred exchanged looks. "You aren't the typical kind of bloke she dates. And this whole moving in thing is a bit… " James' words trailed off.

"Sudden." Fred finished for him.

James nodded. "Yeah, sudden. What are your intentions?"

Scorpius would have laughed at his feeling of déja vu, had it all not been such a nightmare. Now instead of one large hulking father in front of him, he was dealing with two protective cousins. His jaw hurt, his lungs ached, and he desperately wanted to tell the two men to 'sod off.' However, while he was as tall as James and Fred, they both looked to weigh nearly two stones more than he. In any type of physical contest, they would easily emerge victorious. As he pondered what words would calm them, Rose clapped a hand on each of her cousins' shoulders and slowly turned them around.

"I want you two to help Louis get Hugo and Lily home. Also, when you release Hugo, let him know that I am not speaking to him until he apologizes to Scorpius."

"We are coming back," James informed her. Fred nodded.

"Not this week. I'll be at the Burrow for brunch on Sunday; you can try and terrify Scorpius there," she told them, pushing the two toward the door.

Louis, who was levitating Hugo, followed. Lily was last in line. "Rose, are we okay?"

Sighing, the taller girl knew what her cousin was really asking. She wanted to know if Rose would be mentioning her schoolday actions to her parents or grandparents. "We are fine. It was a long time ago, right?"

Lily nodded enthusiastically and threw her arms around her cousin. "I never _really_ thought you were a Berk," she whispered in Rose's ear.

Rose gave her a tight-lipped smile, while propelling her out of the entry. As soon as Lily was in the hall, she shut the door and locked it.

Turning to her remaining cousins and Scorpius, Rose's smile wobbled a bit. "That went well," she joked.

Al laughed, crossed the room in a couple of strides, and pulled Rose into a hug. "It wasn't so bad. Remember when Fred discovered Roxy was dating Nathan Pucey? No one left the Quidditch Pitch that day without some body part bent or missing."

Scorpius felt a stab of jealousy watching Rose take comfort in Al's arms, which was stupid because the man was her cousin and it wasn't like she was really Scorpius' girlfriend. Nevertheless, he wished Rose was clinging to him instead of to Al.

"That WAS a bad day," Roxy exclaimed, flopping down in a chair next to the Floo. "Of course it didn't help that Pucey was a bit of a thug, who was just looking for reasons to take shots at Gryffindors."

Al let go of Rose and took a seat in a chair next to Roxanne. "At least you and Scorpius are both in Ravenclaw; you don't have to worry about house rivalries affecting your relationship." It was a well-known family fact that not only were Weasleys almost always sorted into Gryffindor, but they also tended to end up settling down with former Gryffindors, as well. This meant that anyone who dated outside the family 'house' tended to be the focus of special teasing and taunting.

Rose sat on the couch across from them, looked back at Scorpius, and patted the cushion next to her. He sat, but felt immediately uncomfortable, which was strange given that this was HIS flat. His discomfort, however, was based more on the company than the location. Scorpius knew that back at Hogwarts, these three cousins had been inseparable, despite the fact Rose had been in Ravenclaw, while Al and Roxanne had been in Gryffindor. While boyfriends and girlfriends had come and gone, the three's devotion to each other had never wavered. If anyone would see the true nature of his and Rose's relationship, it would be these two.

"How's your jaw?" Rose asked.

He shrugged. It hurt like hell, but he didn't want to sound like a weakling in front of her.

"Never saw Hugo react like that to anyone you've dated," Roxanne commented. "That was behaviour I'd expect more from James or Fred."

Al nodded and looked straight at Rose. "He must really be upset with you."

"I think he is upset with me," Scorpius offered, mildly. "I Owled him after Rose's dad cornered me and suggested that I had no idea why she told her parents we were in a relationship."

"What were you thinking?" Roxanne asked him. "Hugo has no patience for lies. You should have known that. Weren't you two friends at Hogwarts?"

"Yeah," Scorpius admitted. "I don't know what I was thinking." He tried to keep the sarcasm out if his voice, but Rose must have picked up on it.

She smiled at him and rubbed his leg. "I'm sorry. I really hate that my brother is taking out his anger on you."

"It's alright," he replied, grabbing her hand and holding it still. If Rose kept rubbing his thigh, he'd end up embarrassing himself.

"How _did_ you two end up together?" Al asked.

"Yeah," Roxanne interjected. "I thought you were determined to date foreign diplomats and Quidditch players for the rest of your life."

Rose shifted and leaned into Scorpius' side, all the better to look like a real couple. "I got sick of cyclical dating. Each relationship started, progressed, and ended the same way."

"Quickly?" Al joked.

"Badly?" Roxanne contributed.

"Ha, ha," Rose responded, her voice dripping with disdain. "I just decided to pursue something more serious."

"Please," Al drawled. "No one who wants a serious relationship gets involved with someone who lives over 500 miles away."

"One's desire for commitment isn't measured by distance, Potter," Scorpius informed Al haughtily, jumping in to defend Rose from her cousin's disbelief. At some point over the last three days, he had become extremely protective of the witch. He knew it was unnecessary, because if anyone could take care of herself, it was Rose Weasley. Nevertheless, it gave him a warm feeling inside.

"I wasn't at all shocked when I heard about you two," Roxanne informed Rose. "You were so intrigued with Scorpius in seventh year; I was surprised it took this long for you to land him."

Scorpius turned his head quickly to look at Rose and saw colour flooding her cheeks as she glared at the auburn-haired girl. "You were intrigued with me in seventh year?"

Sitting up straighter, her shoulder no longer touching his, Rose turned to him slightly, but refused to meet his eyes. "Never you mind." She then looked at Roxanne and demanded, "Stop revealing my secrets!"

Grinning and completely unfazed by Rose's order, Roxanne held her hands up in mock surrender. "Maybe Al and I should leave, so you two can talk about this development."

Scorpius felt himself nodding fervently until Rose's elbow hit him in the ribs.

Al stood. "I need to get going, anyway. I have to study for an exam tomorrow."

Roxanne jumped up too. "I'm going to head back to the Wheezes. My mum and dad will want to debrief me before dinner."

Scorpius watched as the two jumped into the Floo. He then turned toward his pretend girlfriend. "Rose?"

She stood abruptly and announced, "I need to use the loo." Before he could say another word, she had left the room.

Scorpius sat in stunned contemplation. What exactly did Roxanne mean by saying that Rose had been intrigued with him? Had she fancied him? That frankly was inconceivable. She was lively, vivacious, and popular. She had dated at will almost anyone she wanted. He, on the other hand, was quiet, studious, and socially awkward. There was no doubt in his mind that had Rose as much as crooked a finger in his direction while they were at Hogwarts, he would have fallen all over himself in an effort to meet her every whim and expectation, no matter how unrealistic. He ignored the voice inside his head which wondered just how that was different from his current situation.

However, there had been no finger crooking, no lingering glances, and no brushes of her arm against his arm. Obviously, her interest had been of a purely intellectual variety. The same way someone might be intrigued by a new species of beetle. Convinced that his understanding of Roxanne's words was the only logical interpretation, Scorpius felt his heart rate begin to slow to normal. When Rose stepped back into the sitting room, he was able to look her in the eyes and smile encouragingly without betraying his earlier, momentary elation.

He was slightly taken aback when she grabbed the chair Al had been sitting in and pulled it near the couch. She sat facing him, her body close to his, but more distant than when they had sat next to each other earlier. She took a deep breath before speaking. "Here is the situation. I did fancy you briefly during seventh year."

Scorpius was quite certain his heart stopped beating, which surely was not a normal physical reaction no matter what the circumstances. It certainly had always beat before, even during snogging sessions with Anne. He wondered idly if Rose would take him to St. Mungo's and maybe sit anxiously in the waiting room if he keeled over from lack or oxygen. Before his brain could continue down its hallucinatory path, however, she was talking again.

"These previous feelings, however, are _not_ what my staying here is about. What I told you in Germany was the truth. I chose to name you as the bloke who broke my heart because I thought it was the least likely to make my parents suspicious. However, when you showed up at my door, it seemed like the perfect opportunity to come back to England while gaining a little bit of breathing room from my family. This will give me an opportunity to decide what I want to do with my life- rather than continuing to follow whatever path my Mum and Dad want me to take. I swear this entire scenario is not some elaborate and pathetic plot to worm my way into your heart. I'm not looking for a romantic relationship or even any type of friendship that goes beyond that of typical, temporary, flatmates."

"I don't believe you."

Rose's face fell. "You really think I am that manipulative?"

"What?" Scorpius responded, a bit shocked at her question. "Of course, I don't think you are manipulative. I just don't believe you ever fancied me."

Rose giggled and sat back in her chair, kicking his leg lightly. "What's there not to believe? You've always been so quietly confident and capable. The silent, mysterious bloke persona provides endless fascination for the typical schoolgirl. Besides, you really grew into your looks seventh year. I wasn't the only girl who caught her breath when you walked into the common room."

To say that Scorpius was flabbergasted was an understatement. Rose's words did not at all mirror his memories of seventh year. "If you fancied me, why didn't you ever say anything?" he asked. "You weren't exactly known for your shy and timid qualities."

"Why didn't I say anything? Hello?! Do you not remember me studying with you for the N.E.W.T.s potion exam? I showed up every evening wearing some low-cut, tight Muggle top just trying to get you to notice me. After a few weeks of you showing not the least bit of interest in anything other than my knowledge of 'potent potions', however, I gave up and moved on."

Scorpius let his head fall back against the couch cushions. He remembered clearly the events Rose described. He'd been flattered that she'd wanted to study with him. And while he'd noticed her outfits, he was determined to demonstrate that unlike other men, he respected her and valued her mind, not just her body. But bloody hell, he would have loved to admire her body. To discover now that she had _wanted _him to admire her body was just another in long series of adolescent disappointments.

"Are you upset?" Rose asked, sounding concerned.

"Yeah. But not with you," he replied, lifting his head and smiling at her a bit sadly. Shaking off his melancholy, he asked Rose, "What would you like me to cook for dinner?"

"Nothing! Let me do it. It will make up for you having to deal with my family today."

"Oh, it's going to take more than one dinner to make up for that," Scorpius teased.

"You're awful!" Rose grinned, hopping to her feet. "How about we do it together?"

"Sure," he replied, standing up slowly and moving toward the kitchen. It was strange that after all of the anxiety-provoking events of the day, Scorpius could honestly say he was looking forward to continuing to share his flat with Rose Weasley.

0-0-0

Scorpius' Tuesday morning at the office had been a disaster. His boss had given him two simple and relatively straight-forward projects, but the blond had botched them both. Now, not only was his supervisor disappointed, but Scorpius had to spend his afternoon redoing the work correctly. It was a most uncharacteristic cockup.

Sighing deeply as he straightened his desk before leaving for the day, Scorpius knew exactly why he'd been so distracted. He had not been able to tear his mind away from the fact that Rose Weasley had once fancied him. It had led to several daydreams about how his life might now be different had he recognized her interest in him back at Hogwarts. His hypothetical musings went from the dismal – Rose deciding after one Hogsmeade outing that he was a boring swot and announcing to the entire Ravenclaw House the extent of his lameness – to the sublime – he and Rose presenting his parents with a little red-headed Malfoy heir. These were pointless speculations, however, because he had NOT recognized Rose's attention while at school and she had obviously moved on to more robust and athletic pastures.

_But what if she hasn't?_

Scorpius clamped down on that idea immediately. It was that type of wayward thought that had caused him to seriously ruin his work this morning. He simply needed to push the suggestion that he and Rose could ever be in a real romantic relationship out of his head.

Ruthlessly squashing any protests from the more illogical and lovelorn parts of his personality, Scorpius headed down to the Apparition station in the Ministry and Disapparated to Diagon Alley. As he climbed the stairs to his flat, he couldn't help but wonder what bombshell Rose had in store for him today. Merlin knew that his life had been chaotic since the red-headed girl had re-entered it! Although a small part of him hated the disruption of his routine, a much larger part – a part that Scorpius had never even realized he possessed – enjoyed the anticipation and thrill of the unknown. Nevertheless, upon reaching his door, Scorpius was pleased not to hear angry voices coming from inside. He was quite certain that his constitution could not withstand two consecutive days of listening to Weasleys argue.

When he entered the flat, however, it quickly became apparent that Rose was not alone. Scorpius could discern three different voices coming from the sitting room. Within seconds, he determined that the occupants must be Rose and his parents. His blood immediately ran cold because he could not imagine such a meeting occurring without someone resorting to violence. Taking a deep breath, Scorpius slipped silently into the room. While he did not plan to turn himself as a human shield to save anyone from being hexed, he was willing to use an end table or a nice piece of crockery as a physical barrier between his father and Ron Weasley's daughter.

Much to Scorpius' amazement, the sacrifice of his household goods in the interest of peace and harmony was unnecessary. Rather than duelling each other at wand point, Rose and his parents were sitting around the coffee table, chatting amenably, and sharing a pot of tea. Despite having heard rumours about 'alternate realities' and 'parallel universes', Scorpius had never believed that he would walk into one. Yet there could be no other explanation for the seemingly friendly conversation taking place between Rose and his parents. He wondered idly, if he should write up a report on this obvious metaphysical anomaly for the Department of Mysteries.

"Scorpius," Rose smiled, when she noticed him. "Look who Floo'd in for a visit."

"Hello, son," Draco Malfoy smirked.

Astoria simply lifted her cheek and waited for Scorpius to cross the room and kiss it in greeting. Once he'd complied to his mother's silent request, Scorpius sat down on the couch next to Rose. "Polyjuice?" he asked.

Rose looked at him in confusion, but Draco began to chuckle. "I'm afraid, Ms. Weasley," the elder Malfoy informed her. "That my son is so taken aback by our civilized behaviour that he believes us to be Polyjuiced impostors."

Rose arched an eyebrow in surprise before replying with a slow grin, "Surely not! Polyjuice is so plebeian when one could just cast an _Imperius_ and achieve the same effect."

"Rose!" Scorpius gasped, thoroughly shocked at her quip. Surely even Weasleys knew that it was considered poor manners to accuse someone, especially in a social setting, of using Unforgiveables. His father, however, was not offended and laughed in delight at Rose's remark.

"They've been acting like this since we arrived," Astoria informed her son. "It is quite off-putting."

Draco looked like he wanted to make some snide comment, but changed his mind at the last minute. Instead he turned toward his son. "Ms. Weasley informs us she's moved in with you."

Scorpius nodded his head slowly, determined to volunteer no further information. He'd learned as a boy that providing his father with extensive commentary on any subject was just like providing the Wizengamot with evidence to use against one in a trial. If his father wanted to compile a list of Scorpius' current failures and misdeeds, he would have to do it on his own.

"Well, I'm just glad we found out you were seeing someone new before I suffered through another lunch with that insipid Anne Goldstein," Astoria sniffed haughtily. "Although I don't know what I'll tell Daphne when she discovers you are living with your girlfriend. It is just so déclassé."

"Bloody hell, Astoria, leave the boy alone," Draco barked at his wife. "He's an adult and can make his own decisions."

Scorpius wanted to faint. He could not ever remember a time in his life when his father had sided with him over his mother. Moreover, not two months ago, his father had proclaimed that Scorpius was in great need of adult guidance when it came to making decisions that would affect the Malfoy family's reputation and status in the wizarding world. The younger blond decided that the parallel universe theory was looking more and more likely with every passing minute.

"Father, are you feeling well?" Scorpius asked, unable to take the incongruity any longer.

"What?" Draco replied, sounding mildly irritated. "Of course, I'm fine, although I do need to speak with you in private about some business matters."

Scorpius nodded. Apparently his father had only been waiting to get out of Rose's earshot before berating him. He felt strangely relieved that things were about to return to normal – with Scorpius being reminded of what a disappointment he was to the family. While the younger man knew that the forthcoming conversation would not be a pleasant one, at least it was comforting to know that his father had not been possessed by some jolly doppelganger.

Upon entering the kitchen on Draco's heels, Scorpius braced himself for his father's rebukes and criticism. He, therefore, was gobsmacked when Draco punched him lightly on the arm, smirked, and told him he'd never been more proud.

"You're not angry?"

"Angry? Son, this is the type of political match I've been trying to convince you to contemplate for ages. I couldn't be happier that you are taking seriously my wisdom and years of advice."

"You are glad I'm dating Rose Weasley," Scorpius asked, still astounded by his father's attitude.

"I'm ecstatic that you are dating Rose Weasley."

"But she is a Weasley! The entire time I was growing up you couldn't even refer to a single member of that family without choking on your own bile."

"Water under the bridge," Draco responded, with a wave of his hand. "Rose is not one of the horde of Weasley unknowns. She is the daughter of Ron and Hermione Weasley, war heroes, Ministry leaders, and two-thirds of the Golden Trio. I doubt that you dating Lily Potter could be more beneficial to our family's prominence in society."

"She's a half-blood," Scorpius reminded him.

"Immaterial. Blood-status only matters when it is connected to power. Now that blood no longer holds any clout in the wizarding world, it would be senseless to continue to care about such things. I learned long ago to look at the big picture, and the big picture definitely has the Malfoy family benefiting from an alliance with the daughter of Ron and Hermione Weasley."

"I'm not dating her because of her parents' influence."

Draco shrugged. "We'll refer to it as a lucky circumstance that the woman you fancy is also beneficial to the family's status. I do insist, however, that you establish a permanent union with the girl."

"You must be joking!" Scorpius exclaimed. "We've barely started dating and you want me to marry her?"

"Of course I do, perhaps not immediately, since that would only cause needless speculation and might lead to her parents intervening. However, it's not too early to seriously court her so that a wedding announcement can be posted within the next six months."

Scorpius shook his head. This was surely some sort of cosmic punishment for his refusal to work for Malfoy, Inc. after Hogwarts. "I'm not sure that Rose and my relationship is moving in the direction of marriage," he admitted to his father.

"Why ever not? The girl is attractive, she's bright, and she can pour tea without making a mess. What more do you need in a life partner?" Draco inquired, testily.

Before Scorpius could come up with a satisfactory answer, Astoria entered the kitchen. "Draco, we really must be going if we are going to make our reservation at the _Ledbury._."

Draco nodded, before pointing a finger at his son. "Remember what I said."

Astoria then brushed her lips across Scorpius' cheek. "Good-bye, darling. Make sure to bring Rose with you to brunch on Sunday, I can't wait to show her my gardens."

Scorpius nodded dully and watched as his parents Disapparated from his flat. He wondered dispassionately whether his father would ever forgive him once Rose ended their fake relationship.

TBC


	4. Chapter 4

**Title:** The Flower and the Scorpion – Chapter 4/4  
**Author:** **drcjsnider**  
**Pairing:** Rose/Scorpius  
**Rating:** PG-13  
**Summary:** Scorpius Malfoy is on a mission to bring Rose Weasley home.  
**Word Count:** 5646  
**Notes/Warning:** Big, big thanks to the wonderful, amazing, sweet, and utterly adorable, **kazfeist**

Once Scorpius' parents had left, he returned to the sitting room and informed Rose that his Dad thought they should marry.

She found the situation amusing and spent the rest of the evening joking about what type of engagement ring she wanted, whether or not they should move into Malfoy Manor after the wedding, and how many children they should raise. Rose claimed to want nine – three natural and six adopted. Scorpius went to bed after she named the first four, Aquila, Perseus, Cassiopeia, and Orion.

He tossed and turned most of the night. Upon falling asleep, he ended up dreaming that his father had taken him wedding dress shopping. He awoke wrapped tightly in his sheet and with a clear memory of the shop girl at Madam Malkin's informing him that his shoulders were perfect for this season's sleeveless styles. He'd taken a long, hot shower upon rising, but it failed to revive him. His co-workers looked at him askance, when he reached the office five minutes late, sporting red-rimmed eyes and clutching a large mug of tea.

Not a particularly stupid man, Scorpius knew that the cause of his distraction was the renewed presence of Rose in his life. It wasn't anything she did. Rather, it was how she made him feel, what she made him think. Rose made him think nonsensical things – what it would be like to come home to her every evening, to talk and laugh with her as they made dinner together, to brush her hair before bed, to bed her – wild fantasies that had not a chance of becoming reality. He knew there were only two ways to improve his situation. He could either grow a pair and pursue a real romantic relationship with the girl, or he try and get her out of his life as quickly as possible, in the hope that out of sight really did mean out of mind.

As a rational man, who had a good idea of what he was and was not capable of doing, Scorpius quickly decided on a course of action. Therefore, during his lunch break, he Floo'ed to _Flourish and Blotts_ to select a book that would provide some guidance on his chosen course of action. After making his purchase, he Apparated directly into his flat deciding that he would chance invading Rose's privacy.

He couldn't help by smile upon his arrival because Rose was still curled up asleep on his couch. He smirked slightly, remembering the morning back in Germany when finding her sleeping on the couch, looking so sweet and slightly vulnerable, he had gone against his better instincts and agreed to let her move in with him, agreed to play her boyfriend until she got her life straightened out. He felt a similar stirring now to help her and do whatever she requested, but he ruthlessly squashed it. He needed only to remind himself of all the unintended consequences of his rashness – losing his girlfriend, being harassed and yelled at by her family, being pressured into marriage by his father, and lacking focus at work – to stick by his decision to remove Rose from his life.

Scorpius dropped the book he'd bought loudly on the coffee table, causing Rose to quickly sit up, startled out of her sleep.

"Scorpius?" she questioned, rubbing her eyes tiredly.

"I got you a present," he replied, pointing to the book.

She glanced at the title and giggled. "Very smooth. _Which Witch Are You? How to Choose a Magical Career that Matches Your Strengths and Personality._ Trying to send me a message?"

He nodded. "You need to figure out what you want to do before your parents take the matter into their hands and choose for you or before my father manipulates us into marriage."

"Merlin, you are such a doomsayer. No one is going to force us into doing something we have no desire to do."

"Of course not. You just spent the last two years hiding out in Germany from your parents because they are so understanding of your right to choose your own career."

"I'm sure they would be understanding if I could pick something!" she replied, defensively.

"Then choose something quickly, because my parents have no scruples about trying to force me or anyone else into doing their bidding."

Rolling her eyes slightly, Rose picked up and book. "Fine. I'll read it this afternoon."

"Good. We can discussion your options tonight." Without waiting for a reply, Scorpius Apparated back to the Ministry. With any luck, he'd have Rose Weasley out of his flat and his life by early next week. He refused to consider why that idea made him feel dejected.

When Scorpius returned home for the evening it was to find Rose underlining passages in the book he'd purchased her, surrounded by pieces of parchment, and looking extremely frustrated. "How is it going?" Scorpius asked timidly, not wanting the redhead to turn her annoyance toward him.

"That depends," she replied, not bothering to look up from her book. "You don't have some fresh deer entrails in the kitchen do you?"

"Um… no."

"Then it isn't going very well."

He plucked the book from her hands.

"Hey!" she huffed. Blowing a lose curl from in front of her eyes.

He flipped through the book quickly. "I don't see any mention of entrails."

"Well, it isn't in _there_. But I recalled something from Divinations about being able to see one's future work in the intestines of a week old fawn."

Scorpius shook his head. "Why not just pick something that interests you? Something you like and give it a try?"

Rose look at him like he was mad. "Absolutely not! What if I'm awful at it? I could not live down the humiliation of failing."

"You're joking!"

"No, I'm not. Sitting on the bench for Quidditch was mortifying enough. I wouldn't even have done that if Dad hadn't pushed me so hard."

"Your coach said you'd have started next season if you hadn't resigned from the team."

Rose shrugged. "I never was going to be a great Quidditch player."

Scorpius moved several sheets of parchment so he could sit on the couch. He liked seeing Rose in research mode, but he sincerely believed she was going down a dead-end path in her examination of possible jobs. "Rose, I really think you are approaching this entire thing the wrong way."

"What do you mean?" she asked, sounding a bit exasperated.

"Well, it seems that your only criteria for choosing a career are that it isn't something your parents have pushed you to do and that you can be immediately the best at it."

She glared at him. "Is it a crime to want to be good at your job?"

"No, but it's unrealistic to think that you'll be an immediate success at whatever profession you choose. No one expects it of you."

"I expect it of myself!"

Scorpius raised an eyebrow. "Are you sure that is true? Or are you just worried about what your parents might think?"

Rose blushed. "I don't want them dictating my job choices, but I still want them to be proud of me. They expect me to succeed in whatever I do – Prefect, Quidditch Captain, Head Girl. I need to choose a career with that in mind."

"How about choosing a job you'll love? Something that you'll find challenging and you'll want to get up and to do everyday. If you like your work, you're more likely to do it well."

"Is that what you did?"

"Mostly," he admitted. "I had a couple of other motivations, as well."

"Let me guess. You didn't want to work for your father and… hum… probably some misguided desire to redeem your family name."

"It's not misguided. There is nothing dreadful about trying to re-establish the prestige of the Malfoy family," he told her stiffly.

"If I don't have to live up to my family name, why do you have to be the saviour of yours?"

"It's not the same thing, Rose. Besides I like my job."

"I liked Quidditch too, but I'm not sure that is what I would have chosen if there had been no pressure from my family."

Scorpius shook his head. This conversation was supposed to be about helping Rose. There was nothing _wrong_ with his choices. "Our situations are almost completely opposite."

"Bah," she exclaimed. "We aren't opposites at all. We are just on different ends of a seesaw."

"What?"

"A seesaw, a teeter-totter… that is what we are."

"One of those plank apparatuses you find at Muggle playgrounds?"

Rose nodded. "Yeah, if you get on one by yourself it's no fun. You just sit on the ground all time. It's safe, but there is not thrill or excitement. That's what you've been doing."

Scorpius looked confused.

"Now if you get on a seesaw with someone who is too heavy, you end up stuck in the air all the time. It can be exhilarating and invigorating, but your feet never get to touch the ground. You don't have any real control over the situation."

"And somehow that is you?" he asked, sounding unsure of himself.

"Yes!" she smiled happily at him. "But if you get on a seesaw with someone who is just right, then you never spend too much time in the air or on the ground. One is up, the other is down. The other is up, and the one is down. And sometimes if the two people really work hard at it, they can achieve perfect balance."

Scorpius couldn't help but grin at her, because surely a more awful analogy did not exist in the entire Wizarding world. "So you think we are on the seesaw together?"

"Oh, definitely. At least it feels that way to me." Rose reached over and squeezed his hand. "Doesn't it feel that way to you?"

Scorpius' throat tightened as he stared into her vibrant face. He'd been avoiding examining his feelings for Rose since agreeing to allow her move in with him. He only grudgingly acknowledged the spark she'd lit in his life, choosing instead to focus on minor annoyances and frustrations to which her pretence had exposed him. He recognized it now as a shield. That he'd been shielding himself from her, protecting his heart from desiring what he'd believed to be unattainable. Had he been wrong? Was it possible that she might still be attracted to him? "I've never been on a seesaw," he admitted, hoping she could see beyond the words to the intention behind them.

Rose frowned slightly and bit her lip. "For me it starts in my stomach," she told him in a quiet, almost gentle voice. "It's almost queasy, but in a good way. It's anticipation. Then my heart starts to flutter and it feels like it is knocking against my lungs, like it doesn't want to be contained. Finally, it moves up into my cheeks and I can't stop smiling and laughing. I often have to take a deep breath to calm myself, but even then… it never really goes away."

He slowly nodded, unable to look away from her. "If that's what it is like, I suppose I feel it too."

Her eyes sparkled and the grip she maintained on his hand tightened. He waited for her to do something, to lean in, to say something that would save him from having to risk everything, but she just continued to look at him. Finally after what seemed ages, she squeezed his hand again before releasing it. Handing him a parchment that listed nearly two dozen jobs on it, her demeanour changed almost imperceptibly. "Be useful. Help me narrow this down so I can start working toward my future."

With Scorpius' help, Rose decided to explore several occupations connected with the business world. She Floo'ed her Uncle George, who arranged an interview for her with the Human Relations Department at a potions ingredient wholesaler. Scorpius also got her a meeting with the Vice-President for Public Relations at Bulstrom Manufacturing, the leading producer of ready-to-wear robes. Rose hoped that even if neither of these opportunities turned into a job offer, they might lead to her making other business contacts.

When Scorpius left for work the next morning, Rose was already awake, dressed, and busy reading the business section of the Daily Prophet. Watching the redheaded girl focus on attaining something she really wanted had to be one of the most inspiring sights in the wizarding world. She completely dedicated herself to it. She did research, read inspirational texts, and talked to everyone who might even remotely provide her with advice or guidance. Scorpius had often thought back at Hogwarts that interfering with Rose's pursuit of a goal was like trying to stand between a hurricane and the coast.

Scorpius tried to be glad things seemed to finally be progressing. He had, after all, wanted life to return to normal and the only way that would ever happen was if Rose moved out and no longer interacted with him daily. Things could never be normal as long as she was making him dream about an impossible future – a future that revolved around the two of them together romantically – rather than together just as a decoy for her parents.

He had to remind himself continually that she was "with him" because it was convenient for her. Merlin, he had almost kissed her because he was so clueless about women and their signals. Rose had been holding his hand, she had leaned toward him, and she had been staring deeply into his eyes. His body had been urging him to grab her and cover her lips with his own. His head, on the other hand, kept telling him that he was misreading things and that women like Rose Weasley did not fall for men like him. So instead of making a fool out of himself, he had waited for one more sign, one more indication that she did want to be kissed, but that signal never came. It left him feeling thankful that he hadn't attempted to change the nature of their relationship.

Things had been much easier with Anne. She had pursued him and made herself readily available for several weeks until he caught on that she wanted to date. Even after they were officially a couple – she told him when that happened too – Anne hadn't placed a lot of demands on him, she informed him about everything from what she wanted for her birthday to when they could move from snogging to shagging. He hadn't been in love, but he had enjoyed having a girlfriend and besides, he hadn't been sure he could do any better. Certainly, he could never land someone in Rose Weasley's league.

He had finally pushed the girl out of his mind, when there was a knock on his office door. "Come in!" he called out, not bothering to look up from the parchment on which he was taking notes until a woman cleared her throat. When he finally raised his eyes, he was startled to see Hermione Weasley standing in front of his desk.

"Mr. Malfoy," she stated in a no-nonsense tone. "I heard from my brother-in-law that Rose is looking for a job in business."

Scorpius shifted in his seat. Director Weasley's remark hadn't sounded like a question, yet she was looking at him like she expected an answer. "Yes, ma'am."

"And you encouraged her to pursue this path?"

He blinked. Was she upset? "I suggested yesterday that she might want to start seriously job hunting."

"Why do you think she just choose to look for a job in business when all of her prior experience lies elsewhere?" Director Weasley inquired, arching an eyebrow in a manner that looked eerily like a look his father liked to give him.

"I believe she was looking for a worthwhile job in which she could excel," he explained, silently proud that his voice did not shake at all.

"You didn't try to talk her out of it?"

Scorpius furrowed his brows together, surely Rose's mother did not expect him to step in and try to manipulate her daughter. "No. It is her decision to make and I don't think anyone should interfere with it."

"Even if we both know she could be doing something much more extraordinary and meaningful?"

Scorpius looked down at his desk for several seconds before meeting the Director's eyes. "I am quite certain that Rose will do something extraordinary and meaningful no matter what career she chooses."

Hermione raised her eyebrows even farther, before smiling slightly at the young man across from her. "To tell you the truth, Mr. Malfoy, I've been most suspicious of your relationship with Rose. So many of the previous men my daughter has gone out with have been rather uninspiring. I could never tell whether they were truly fond of her, or whether they were just impressed with her intelligence, her talent, and her beauty. However, I'm delighted to discover that you appear to genuinely care for my daughter. She needs someone – besides her slightly over-bearing family – who will look out for her best interests."

He nodded and smiled back at her, realizing that he did intend to support Rose and help her succeed even though they weren't in a real relationship.

0-0-0

Scorpius was in wonderful mood as he returned to his flat for the evening. Before Director Weasley had left his office, she asked him to assist Magical Law Enforcement staff in an important murder investigation. It was the first time anyone outside of the Department of Mysteries had personally requested his aid. It was an indication that others respected his conscientiousness and work ethic. To celebrate, he'd picked up two meals from the Leaky Cauldron for him and Rose.

He was also excited to hear about Rose's job search. He was certain that she'd be full of news and eager to share her impressions with someone. He was more than willing to be the one in whom she confided. If he couldn't be romantically involved with Rose, he did want to be a good friend to her – the person outside of her family she felt comfortable turning to for aid.

When Scorpius opened the door to his flat, however, it was not the cosy, domestic scene he had imagined. Instead the living room had been magically expanded and was filled with Weasleys, Potters, former members of Ravenclaw, and a number of professional Quidditch players. The furniture had been pushed back toward the edges of room, music blared from the wireless, and several couples were dancing where the breakfast table typically sat. From the kitchen where she was serving drinks, Roxanne saw him gaping at his living area's transformation and yelled, "Scorpius!"

Blinking at her, he called back, "What's going on?"

"We're celebrating. Rose got a job!"

Scorpius shook his head. Of course she had.

James came up behind him and took the take-away out of his hands. "Thanks, mate!" Turning toward the crowd, he then shouted out, "Food is here!" He was quickly surrounded by a large group of hungry party goers.

Scorpius shut the front door and scanned the room for Rose, but did not see her. Before he could ask anyone where she was, Fred slung an arm around his shoulders and pointed toward the balcony. "She's outside getting a breath of fresh air."

"Thanks," Scorpius murmured, shrugging out of his work robes. He headed for the balcony wondering what Rose's change in situation meant for their living arrangement. She surely wouldn't want to remain sleeping on his couch for long once her first pay check arrived. He should have been happy about the development. After all, he had pushed her to look for work. Now that she had found something, however, he felt like he was losing something important – which was ridiculous, given than she hadn't even been in his life for a week.

Opening the balcony door, Scorpius almost called out to her, when the sound of a male voice stopped him. Silently sliding the door shut, he listened shameless to the conversation taking place on the other side of the balcony.

"Let's ditch this party and go some place where we can get reacquainted in private."

"It's my party! I think it would be pretty rude to disappear now."

"Since when do you care about following social conventions?" the man asked. "I thought Rose Weasley was a law onto herself."

"Perhaps I've seen the errors of my ways and changed for the better," she replied lightly.

Scorpius wondered if she was flirting with the man. He wished he could see exactly who she was talking to, but the light from inside the flat was too faint to penetrate the far end of the balcony.

"Is that why you're dating Malfoy? Are you hoping he'll reform you into a prim and proper bird?"

Rose muttered something in reply that Scorpius could not clearly make out.

"What do you see in that tosser? I don't think Hogwarts ever produced a bigger prude than Scorpius Malfoy. He was a dull, lame, goodie-two shoes back in school and from what I've heard he hasn't changed much since starting to work at Ministry. You could do much better, Rose."

Scorpius reddened and took at step backwards. He did not want to hear Rose agreeing with her male friend's assessment of him. Just as he was turning to leave, Al Potter, who must have come out on the balcony after him, laid a hand on his shoulder and shook his head.

"That statement demonstrates that you are as big an idiot as ever, Flint." Rose replied hotly. "Just because Scorpius doesn't need to be the centre of attention in every social situation doesn't make him lame. In fact, it is refreshing to be with someone who I don't have to worry about being too drunk to Apparate safely or having to bail out of jail because he got in a fight with a group of Muggle rugby players."

"Hey! That only happened once…"

She cut him off and continued talking. "Scorpius possesses more integrity, caring, compassion, and kindness than anyone I've ever met."

"I'm sure cuddling up next to his integrity at night must be really hot," the deep-voiced man taunted her.

"For your information, I _tingle_ when he touches me. My heart beats fasters when he walks into the room. And my stomach clenches at the thought that _I_ might not be good enough for _him_."

"Merlin, you are pathetic. It's obviously been too long since you've been in the arms of a real man."

Scorpius couldn't see what happened next, but he began to move forward when he heard a grunt, Rose gasp, and then he felt a thud vibrate along the wooden floor. When he and Al reached the other side of the balcony, he saw a dishevelled Rose with her wand out and Ethan Flint lying unconscious on the ground.

Rose pushed past them blushing and refusing to meet either of their eyes.

"Go after her," Al told Scorpius. "I'll take care of Flint."

Scorpius re-entered the living room and saw Rose making her way through the crowd. He only had one chance to head her off – to talk to her before she locked herself away and hid her emotions behind the mask she typically wore. He turned on the spot and Apparated into the room he was certain she would enter. Not fifteen seconds later she backed into the loo, turned the lock, and rested her head on the wooden door.

"Rose?"

She spun around quickly and stared wide-eyed at him. "What are you doing in here?" she demanded.

He smiled, feeling more confident than he ever before. "It's my flat," he reminded her.

She huffed. "How much did you hear?"

Taking a step toward her, Scorpius was struck by just how lovely she looked. Of course, he'd realized it before, but he never allowed himself to consider it – to dwell on it. But now all he wanted to do was run his hands through her hair and press her body against his own. "Enough."

She narrowed her eyes. "What does that mean?"

"You tingle."

Rose breathed in sharply through her nose. "I'm leaving." She turned and fumbled with the door handle, momentarily forgetting that she had locked it.

Scorpius stepped up behind her and placed his hand over hers. "I do, too," he told her in a soft voice.

"You do what?" she replied, not moving.

"I tingle when you touch me."

She turned around slowly, her eyes searching his. "Scorpius if you are joking, I'm going to cut off your…" Rose was unable to finish her threat because he had grasped her face between both his hands and kissed her as if he was afraid this would be his only chance.

She responded immediately and moaned against his mouth. Scorpius' heart felt like it was going to burst out of his chest. She tasted amazing and he did not want their encounter to ever end. He wanted to consume her. He shifted to bring their bodies into more contact releasing a low growl of satisfaction as Rose's arms encircled his waist and her nails scratched over the back of his shirt.

A knock on the door caused them to break apart. Someone from outside yelled, "Hey, there is a line out here!"

Rose giggled and hid her face in Scorpius' chest.

"How long do you think we have to stay in here before they'll leave?" he asked her, unable to wipe the smile off his face.

"Well, the Ravenclaws will catch on pretty quick, but you have to remember that almost half the people out there are Gryffindors and Quidditch players. It will take them much longer to figure it out," she joked, finally looking up at him.

He shook his head trying to clear it. It was hard to think reasonably when all he wanted to do was to continuing kissing her. "We could pretend to have a fight. That might drive everyone away."

"My family considers fights to be dinner entertainment."

"I have a lot to learn about your family."

Rose brought her arms up around his neck. "Luckily, you've always been a good student," she teased, tilting her head up to press her lips against his again.

Scorpius eagerly met her mouth. For the first time in his life, he didn't want to think about the possible negative consequences of his actions or what could go wrong. All he wanted to do was continue holding and touching the beautiful girl in his arms.  
"Oi!" the voice from the hall, interrupted them again, as someone began pounding on the door.

Blushing, Rose pulled back. She then reached up and wiped a smear of her lipstick off of Scorpius' cheek. "Come on," she smiled at him, grabbing his hand and squeezing it tightly. "Let's go brave the crowd."

She unlocked the door and pulled Scorpius along with her. Louis Weasley and a half dozen other guests stood outside the loo. "Do I want to know what you two have been up to in there?" the redhead asked, taking in Rose's bright eyes and the blissful look on Scorpius' face.

"What do you think?"

Louis shook his head and squeezed past them into the bathroom. "I just better not come across a disgusting mess in here."

Rose rolled her eyes and moved into the sitting room, never releasing Scorpius' hand.

The rest of the evening passed in a daze for Scorpius. Rose refused to leave his side. She curled her arm around his waist while she talked to her friends and family members. Her every action proclaimed that they were together – that Rose Weasley fancied Scorpius Malfoy. And whenever he started to worry that he was dreaming, or that he had fallen and was lying in some ward at St. Mungo's, a gentle tug on one of her curls would reassure him that she was really with him.

It was after midnight before the final guests left the flat. All alone for the first time since their kiss, Rose and Scorpius stared at each other a bit nervously. "We probably should talk," she informed him, biting her lip.

Scorpius shook his head and took a step toward her. Rubbing shoulders all evening with Gryffindors had given him a shot of courage. "We really talk too much," he smiled, holding his hand out to her.

Rose laughed. She placed her right hand into his, but laid the palm of her left hand on his forehead. "You don't want to talk? Are you well?"

He pulled her too him, grinning broadly. "I feel wonderful and want to spend hours—days —weeks—talking to you about it. Just not right now," he told her, sliding his free arm around her waist and leaning down to cover her mouth with his own.

Although this was just their third kiss, Scorpius was certain he was already addicted to the feel of Rose's lips – hell, who was he kidding – he was addicted to _all_ the different parts of her. Within minutes, Rose manoeuvred them both toward the sofa. When he backed into the arm, she broke away from him and gave him a push so that he tumbled onto the cushions. Before he could right himself, Rose had thrown herself into his arms and resumed kissing him.

Much, much, later, as Scorpius lay with his head on the sofa's armrest and Rose's head on his chest, he toyed with her curls while she traced rune patterns on his shirt. Every so often Rose would snuggle in closer to him and he would press a kiss to the top of her head. "It's been a long day," she sighed. "You will be knackered at work tomorrow."

Scorpius chuckled. "I wouldn't trade a minute of tonight for a full eight hours of sleep."

Rose tilted her head up toward him. "Merlin, you must hold me in high regard!"

He smiled at her and kissed her nose. "I have fancied you for a long time. Until this evening, however, I never suspected that there was a chance you might feel the same way."

"Oh," she blushed. "Any reply I give to that is going to make me sound like an idiot."

"And why would that be? Is it possible you never fancied me until recently?"

"Bah!" Rose snorted. "Roxy already mentioned that I had a crush on you in seventh year. However, I've been an idiot because even though I've known since then that brawny Quidditch players weren't for me, I kept dating them. "

"That does sound like a pretty dense thing to do," he teased.

"Hush! I'll have you know that it is extremely difficult to find smart, blond, incredibly pale, upstanding wizards, who don't mind dating loud, brash, pushy redheads."

"Fortunate for me," he grinned.

Rose giggled. "Fortunate for me too, I suspect."

Scorpius sighed. He was tired, but had no desire to separate himself from Rose. He wondered if she would be offended by his asking her to share his bed this evening. Closing his eyes, he decided not to risk it. He knew he'd bugger up the clarification that he only wanted to sleep next to her and was not trying to pressure her to _sleep_ with him.

"Why the sigh?" she asked him.

His eyes flew open. There was no way Scorpius was going to admit that he had been thinking about how to get her into his bed – even if it was all perfectly innocent. "Um… you haven't told me about your new job yet."

"Oh right!" Rose chirped, sitting up. "It was such a stroke of luck. I was headed into Bulstrom Manufacturing when I ran into your father."

"What?"

"Yeah, it was so fortunate! He asked me what I was doing and when I told him I was job hunting he insisted on having me interview for an opening at Malfoy Industries. I Apparated to his office met with a couple of the company's Vice-Presidents and before I knew what was happening, they'd offered me a job in the public relations department."

Scorpius gave her a strained smiled. He knew that Rose was well qualified for an entry level job at Malfoy Industries., but he also would have bet his wand that his father was making the most of this opportunity. If Draco Malfoy couldn't get his son to work at the family business, then he'd get Scorpius' girlfriend to work there. His father was probably already gloating about how much easier it would be to manipulate Scorpius and Rose into marriage, if she had a job at his company.

Rose leaned over and kissed his forehead. "Don't worry, I told him before the interview that we weren't really involved."

"You did?" he replied, in surprise.

"Of course. I didn't want to get offered a position solely based on our fictional relationship. You know that I want to earn any employment opportunities I receive. That has been one of the most compelling reasons I've refused to apply for a job at the Ministry. Still, I hope he won't be upset that we are dating now."

Scorpius shook his head. "He'll be thrilled. Besides, he'll just think you told him we weren't dating in some misguided attempt to avoid favouritism. I should warn you though, Rose, that by working for my father you'll be constantly having to deal with his secret agendas and manoeuvring to get what he wants."

Rose shrugged. "How is that different from any other job in business? Besides, I think I have a knack for covert manoeuvring myself. "

Scorpius grinned and pulled her down to meet his lips again. "I believe you are correct, Miss Weasley. I believe that you are most definitely correct."

The End - Short Epilogue Still To Come


	5. Epilogue

**Title:** The Flower and the Scorpion – Epilogue  
**Author:** drcjsnider  
**Pairing:** Rose/Scorpius  
**Rating:** PG-13  
**Summary:** Scorpius Malfoy is on a mission to bring Rose Weasley home.  
**Word Count:** 2613  
**Notes/Warning:** Big thanks to Kazfeist for betaing this and sticking with me through the long process of getting this entire story ready to post!

Rose's and Scorpius' two–day-old relationship was going splendidly until they realized that they were committed to attend two different family brunches on Sunday. As luck had it, however, the Weasleys ate at 11 a.m. at the Burrow, while the Malfoys supped at 2:30 p.m. at the Manor. The new couple could attend both meals and not have to choose one family over the other.

The Burrow brunch turned out to be much bigger an affair than Scorpius had realized. He knew, of course, that Rose had a large family. Especially since several of her cousins had invaded his flat on Thursday evening. But, he hadn't quite been prepared to be surrounded by them, their parents, their grandparents, and a host of other cousins, aunts, and uncles that he had never even realized existed.

As a 'new' attendee at a Weasley family gathering, Scorpius received a tremendous amount of attention. Many of the women had questions about his job, his hobbies, and his friends. As the boyfriend of Rose and the man who convinced her to return to England, he also received a number of warnings from her male uncles and cousins about what would happen to him should she end up hurt. Although these threats were framed in a joking manner and were accompanied by several hearty slaps on the back, the outward joviality barely masked the seriousness of the warnings.

The meal itself was a very pleasant and laid-back experience. Scorpius sat next to Rose and across the table from Al and Roxanne. Their conversation was lively and he found himself relaxing, despite being surrounded by the large and outgoing family. Truth be told, Scorpius was more at ease at the Burrow than he ever had been at Malfoy Manor. He decided not to examine this observation too closely out of fear about what it revealed about him and his parents.

After the meal, Rose went off with many of her cousins and their parents to play Quidditch. Scorpius remained behind with Al, Hermione, Molly, Arthur, and Fleur. They spoke in general terms about a proposed Ministry revision regarding the use of underage magic while watching as the game being played out on the mini-Pitch behind the Burrow.

Scorpius couldn't prevent a wide grin from crossing his face as he watched Rose dodge a Bludger hit by her Uncle George before scoring against her father.

"She's really something, isn't she?" Al remarked.

Scorpius nodded. "I'm still not exactly sure what she sees in me."

"I'm not," Al replied, with a smile. "Rose has always needed someone to ground her and provide stability. Her Mum did that for her when she was growing up, it was me at Hogwarts, and now it is you. She's happier now than I've seen her since she left school. The question really is, what do you see in her?"

"You're not serious!" Scorpius exclaimed.

"It's just that Rose tends to be a bit disruptive and you always seemed to be someone who preferred order to chaos."

Scorpius reddened. "I admit that things haven't been quite as calm in my life since Rose returned, but it's worth it. In some ways, it doesn't even feel like I was living before. I was just existing."

"And now?" Al prodded.

"Now I'd live in a maelstrom, as long as Rose was there," he admitted.

Al looked like he wanted to say something else, but was distracted by a fight between Rose and James taking place on the pitch.

Scorpius stood and began to make his way quickly over to where his girlfriend was dismounting from her broom.

"You are completely worthless!" Rose yelled at her cousin, as the rest of her team landed nearby.

James shrugged. "How was I to know that saving one more goal would have prevented us from losing the game?"

"Because you are supposed to be paying attention to what's happening on the pitch, rather than trying to catch your reflection in the hoops!"

"Calm down, Rosie. It's just a Sunday afternoon match. It doesn't mean anything," James replied, obviously unaware that all his cousins were glowering at him for having lost them the match.

"That's it!" she exclaimed loudly. "You are off the team."

"What?! You can't kick me off. It's the cousins' team! Just because you were captain today doesn't mean you are in charge of it," James taunted, looking smugly confident in his reasoning.

"Fine. We'll put it up for a vote. Who wants James to play with our parents from now on?" Rose demanded of her cousins.

Everyone's hands shot into the air immediately, except Fred's. "He isn't that bad."

Rose glared at him until Fred grimaced and shrugged in defeat. "Good, it's unanimous."

"Good luck finding a replacement for me," James sneered. "You know Al has refused to fly since he crashed into the Lake outside of Hogwarts during his second year."

"We don't need Al," Rose replied, glancing toward where Albus and Scorpius stood at the edge of the pitch. "Scorpius can play Keeper."

Scorpius looked startled, James started to laugh, and rest of the team looked uneasy at the idea. "Don't worry. I'll train him," Rose tried to reassure her cousins.

"I'm not sure this is a good idea…" Scorpius began.

She glared at him in response. "We'll talk to your dad about this. He probably has some ideas about how to improve your skills."

"Great," Scorpius muttered.

"Still enjoying life in the maelstrom?" Al asked.

Scorpius just grimaced in response.

-0-0-0-

Scorpius and Rose arrived at the front door of Malfoy Manor two minutes before brunch was to be served. "What happens if we are late?" Rose asked with a mischievous glint in her eyes. "Do we get strung up in the dungeon?"

"Worse," Scorpius replied with a deep sigh. "We get a forty-minute lecture from my father on etiquette and consideration for others' schedules."

"Oh," Rose grinned leaning toward him enticingly. "Let's stay out here a few more minutes; parental lectures are my _favourite_ appetizer."

Scorpius laughed, gave her a quick kiss, and then opened the door. "Let's not wait. Parental lectures give me indigestion."

Rose grabbed his hand and followed him into the foyer.

"Scorpius, darling, is that you?" Astoria called from a nearby room. "Come explain to your grandparents why you lied to your father and me about the Weasley girl."

"Damn," Scorpius muttered under his breath.

Rose winked at him, grabbed his hand, and pulled him into the drawing room, where she was greeted by four pairs of incredulous eyes. "Actually, all falsehoods were told by me," she admitted to the assembled Malfoys. "I got into a little bind and Scorpius was just being a good friend by backing me up."

"Fascinating," Lucius drawled in a tone that indicated he was clearly not impressed with her explanation.

"Grandfather…" Scorpius stated softly, his hand tightening instinctively around Rose's.

Narcissa did not miss the gesture. "So are you two a couple or not?" she demanded.

Scorpius and Rose glanced at each other and smiled. "We are."

"I _knew_ it," Draco bragged to the room. "Didn't I tell you she went all Gryffindor on me in the interview? I recognized from the beginning that she was lying to insure she didn't get hired due to favouritism."

"Yes, son, your powers of observation and perception are truly outstanding," Lucius intoned in a slightly mocking manner.

"My head hurts from trying to keep up with Scorpius' love life," Astoria sighed.

"That's because with Scorpius so mature and stable you've grown lazy. If you'd been dealing with a parade of girlfriends, like I had to when Draco was younger, this all wouldn't be such a shock," Narcissa responded condescendingly.

"Mother!" Draco chided her with a scowl.

Narcissa elegantly shrugged one of her thin shoulders. "Come sit next to me, Scorpius," she ordered, patting the settee. "I want to hear all about your new relationship."

The next hour was one of the most painful in Scorpius' life and that was saying something, considering who his father was. When everyone finally moved into the dining room, Scorpius sat at one end of the table where he was grilled by his mother and grandmother about his new relationship. Rose was placed at the other end of the table next to Draco and Lucius.

Despite Scorpius' best efforts, he could not monitor how his father and grandfather were treating Rose. He overheard some references to Quidditch, Germany, and Malfoy Industries, but he wasn't sure whether or not the conversation was pleasant. Merlin knew _he'd_ had plenty of unpleasant conversations with them.

When the meal ended, Scorpius leapt to his feet and announced that he and Rose needed to leave. "One moment, son," Draco drawled, a slight smirk on his face. "Join me and your grandfather in library before you run off."

"I'm not sure…"

"Now," Draco stated forcefully, as he rose from his seat.

"It's fine, Scorpius," Rose said. "I'll just wait for you in the drawing room."

"Alright," he sighed. "I won't be long."

Scorpius followed his father and grandfather into the library. He had no idea what they wanted, but he dreaded the confrontation just the same. Sitting in a wing-back chair next to the fireplace, he watched Lucius pour three snifters of brandy. As soon as everyone had a glass in hand, Draco began to speak.

"I was thrilled that you brought Rose to the Manor today. It will be much easier to ease her transition from being a 'Weasley' to being a 'Malfoy' if she becomes familiar with the estate and your family."

"Father, I don't think—"

"Moreover, it was a stroke of genius to arrange for her to take a job at Malfoy Industries," Draco smirked broadly.

"That's not what happened," Scorpius told him. Before he could launch into an explanation of how he hadn't steered Rose towards the family business, however, his grandfather was speaking.

"I've never been more proud of you," Lucius smiled, toasting Scorpius with his brandy.

"But that is not the reason we've called you in here," Draco informed Scorpius. "Instead, we want to make sure you are taking care of Rose physically."

The youngest Malfoy choked on his drink. "What?!"

"Your father wants to know if you need any guidance concerning your intimate relationship with Miss Weasley," Lucius explained.

Scorpius opened his mouth and then closed it, when not a sound came out.

"This is an area where your grandfather and I have a modest amount of expertise," Draco drawled, gazing down at his son with his typical attitude of superiority.

"I think everything is fine," Scorpius replied, wanting desperately to the end the discussion as quickly as possible.

"If you only _think _it is fine, you can use a few pointers," Lucius told him. "You wouldn't want to lose Miss Weasley due to her dissatisfaction in the bedroom."

Despite Scorpius' best efforts, it took him twenty minutes to escape the library. It would take him much longer, however, to block his father's and grandfather's advice from his mind.

"Are you okay?" Rose asked him, as they stood on the doorstep outside the Manor.

He nodded a bit shakily. "I will be once you _Obliviate_ me."

Rose giggled and kissed him on the cheek. "Let's go home."

When Scorpius and Rose returned to the flat, they both collapsed on the couch exhausted. "Who knew spending times with our families would be so painful?" she asked.

Scorpius raised his hand slowly causing Rose to giggle. She leaned over and kissed him softly, before curling against his side.

"I'm sorry about volunteering you to play Quidditch. James just makes me so upset!"

Scorpius smiled at how Rose's shoulders tensed up momentarily at the mention of her older cousin. "I don't really have to play, do I?"

"Merlin, no! I'd like us to have a chance to win next week," she teased.

"Hey!" he exclaimed, trying to sound offended. He was positive, however, that Rose wasn't fooled. "I'm sorry about _my_ family."

"Are you kidding? I found them fascinating. It was like having dinner with foreign diplomats, but with more secret agendas."

"That's probably the nicest way I've ever heard them described," Scorpius admitted. "I tended to be a lot tougher on them than that."

Rose looked up into his eyes. She looked thoughtful and sweeter than he'd seen her since back at Hogwarts. "We both probably tend to be a bit too harsh on our families."

Scorpius nodded distractedly before leaning down to capture Rose's lips. He didn't want to talk about their families anymore. He had a hard time concentrating on anything much lately besides Rose's mouth and body. He was enjoying the early stages of their relationship, but it was difficult to not rush things – especially when she was still sleeping on his couch. He'd offered to give up his bed, but she'd refused to trade. She hadn't mentioned moving out, which he took as a good sign, but surely she wasn't comfortable with their current situation.

Pulling back slightly, Scorpius broke their kiss. "Why'd you stop?" Rose asked looking confused.

"You know I'm way out of my depth, right?"

"What do you mean?" she asked, tilting her head as if looking at Scorpius from a different angle would make him more understandable.

"I mean you're going to have to take the lead with us. Let me know what to do when. If you want to move forward, if you want to slow down, if you want to go backwards, you're going to have to let me know – preferably in writing."

"You aren't serious?" she asked, frowning slightly.

"Of course I am! If you leave things up to me, I'll be second-guessing myself all the time. It will be six months before I do more than just kiss you. Hell, if you leave everything up to me, I might never get the nerve to touch you under your shirt, let alone attempt anything more intimate."

Rose smiled a bit at his discomfort. "If I agree to take the lead on us, you are going to have to agree to help keep me focused. Don't let me use my insecurities to sabotage my job, my relationship with my family, or us."

Scorpius nodded slowly. He understood what Rose wanted from him. She didn't need someone to rein her in or to order her about, but at the same time she didn't want someone who would encourage her self-destructive tendencies, either. "I promise to always give you an honest assessment of your actions. I won't bury my thoughts about your decisions simply to protect our relationship."

"That sounds like a fair compromise," she responded, her smile growing wider. "I think we are going to complement each other very well."

Scorpius smiled in return. "I think we already do."

Rose beamed. "Now where were we?" she inquired, pretending to have forgotten what they had been discussing. "Oh, yes. You wanted me to take the lead in our relationship."

Scorpius waited for Rose to resume kissing him, but was shocked into inhaling deeply when she removed her blouse and tossed it over the back of the couch.

"Rose?" he spoke softly, unable to keep his voice from cracking.

"I decided I didn't want to wait another minute for you to touch me under my shirt," she told him with a mischievous smile on her face.

"I'm so glad I turned over control of our relationship to you," he informed her, before pulling her into his arms and kissing her soundly. In spite of his lack of confidence about most non-academic subjects, Scorpius was certain that Rose Weasley was a woman he would care about forever.

The End


End file.
